The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday quizzed a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami over his alleged involvement in terrorism financing and links with 46 bank accounts.
According to reports, the Ex-AGF spent Monday night at the headquarters of Commission.
Reports also had that Malami was invited for questioning on Monday but arrived late in the evening, which resulted in him staying overnight to continue responding to investigators’ queries.
The former AGF would be reporting to the EFCC daily as the probe continues.
Following his earlier interrogation on November 29, the former AGF had said in a post on X that the session “was successful” and that he had been scheduled for “further engagement” with investigators.
“The engagement was successful, and I am eventually released while on an appointment for further engagement as the truth relating to the fabricated allegations against me continue to unfold,” he said.
Meanwhile, the former minister has consistently rejected allegations of terrorism financing.
He cited his key roles in Nigeria’s AML/CFT Reforms and FATF Grey-List exit to dismiss the terrorism financing insinuations.
In a statement on X, Malami said: “My attention has been drawn to a recent publication in which my name was mentioned in connection with allegations of terrorism financing and so-called “links” to persons described as terror suspects or alleged financiers.
“I consider it necessary, in the interest of truth, justice and public record, to make the following clarifications.
“First, I state clearly and unequivocally that I have never at any time been accused, invited, interrogated, investigated or charged by any security, law-enforcement, regulatory or intelligence agency—within or outside Nigeria—in respect of terrorism financing or any related offence.
“Secondly, even the retired military officer cited as the principal source in the said publication categorically admitted that he was not accusing me, or other named individuals of financing terrorism.
“His own account, as reported, was limited to a vague assertion that certain suspects allegedly had some form of “business” or “institutional” relationship with various persons.
“That important clarification was, unfortunately, overshadowed by a headline and framing capable of misleading well-meaning members of the public into drawing inaccurate and damaging conclusions which was unfortunately politically manipulated by my political opponents to create mischievous insinuations implying my involvement in terrorism financing.
“Terrorism financing is a grave crime with devastating consequences for national security and human life. Any attempt—whether by direct allegation or indirect innuendo—to associate an individual with such an offence must be grounded in verifiable facts, due process, and lawful findings, not in conjecture, speculation, or guilt by association. To suggest that lawful professional or institutional engagements can, without more, be read as evidence of terrorism financing is both mischievous and unjust.
“For the avoidance of doubt, my public record in office stands in direct contradiction to any insinuation of complicity in terrorism financing. During my tenure as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, I worked with other arms of government and relevant institutions to strengthen—not weaken—Nigeria’s legal and institutional framework against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.”
