Malami cries foul as EFCC ignores bail order, keeps him in custody amid N213bn asset revelations

Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of willfully disobeying court orders and subjecting him to illegal detention, in the wake of disclosures that the anti-graft agency has traced 41 properties valued at about N213 billion to him.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, Malami alleged that the EFCC refused to comply with a bail order granted by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on December 23, 2025.

According to the statement, the court admitted the former justice minister to bail on conditions which were immediately fulfilled by his legal team, but EFCC officials allegedly rejected the court-backed letter, turned away a court bailiff and insisted on keeping him in custody.

“This conduct represents a grave affront to the authority of the courts and a dangerous slide into institutional lawlessness,” the statement said.

Malami further alleged that the commission had detained him for more than 14 days without arraignment, contrary to the Constitution. He noted that the EFCC was relying on a detention order that permitted custody for a maximum of 14 days, an order which he said expired on Tuesday.

“Despite the expiration of that order and the existence of a valid bail granted by a court of competent jurisdiction, the EFCC has neither released him nor brought him before any court,” the statement added.

The former AGF also accused the anti-graft agency of orchestrating a media campaign against him, feeding selective narratives to the press in an attempt to damage his reputation and secure public condemnation outside the courtroom.

Malami insisted that he was not opposed to investigation or prosecution, but rejected what he described as “trial by detention and trial by media.”

“He has consistently expressed readiness to submit himself fully to due process and to defend himself before a court of law,” his media aide said.

The statement warned that selective obedience to court orders by law enforcement agencies undermines constitutional democracy and could set the country on a path to anarchy.

Malami’s allegations come days after the EFCC disclosed that it had traced 41 properties – including hotels, schools, factories, universities and residential buildings – allegedly linked to him in Kebbi, Kano and the Federal Capital Territory, with a combined estimated value of about N213 billion. The commission has also filed money laundering charges against Malami and his son, Abdulaziz.

While the EFCC has yet to respond to the latest claims, Malami’s camp called on the judiciary and relevant oversight bodies to intervene urgently, insisting that no individual or institution is above the law.