By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA – The Office of former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, SAN, on Thursday defended the ex-minister over the alleged withdrawal of his bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), insisting the ‘revocation’ stemmed solely from his attendance at a political event in Kebbi State and not from any violation of bail conditions.
In a statement signed by Mohammed Bello Doka, Special Assistant on Media Affairs to Malami, the office dismissed as incorrect the reports suggesting the former AGF failed to meet his bail terms, describing such claims as misleading and contrary to the facts.
The statement said Malami had fully complied with the bail requirements earlier set by the EFCC over allegations of money laundering and abuse of office, allegations he has repeatedly denied.
It added that the EFCC later introduced fresh restrictions, including a ban on media interviews and a prohibition on participating in political activities in Kebbi State.
“Abubakar Malami, SAN did not violate or fail to meet any bail condition. It was the EFCC that revoked his bail after he attended a political gathering in Kebbi State, not because of any breach of the law or his bail terms,” the aide stated.
Arguing that the political restriction placed on Malami was unconstitutional, the statement said preventing him from engaging in politics in his home state amounted to an infringement on his freedom of movement, association, and political participation.
“Prohibiting him from engaging in political activities in Kebbi, his home state, violates his fundamental rights. Such a condition has no basis in a democratic system and raises questions about its true intent,” it added.
According to the statement, Malami had travelled to Kebbi from Friday to Sunday, where he was received by party members as a prominent figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
After addressing a peaceful gathering, he returned to Abuja on Monday in response to an invitation from the EFCC, only to be informed that his bail had been ‘revoked.’
It questioned the rationale behind linking allegations of financial impropriety to his attendance at a political event.
“What does an allegation of money laundering have to do with attending a political meeting in Kebbi State? Nothing at all,” it stressed.
The aide said the state-specific restriction pointed to a political motive and argued that participation in political activities cannot hinder investigation or prosecution.
He added that Malami had been ready to meet any new bail conditions but was not given the opportunity before his bail was reportedly withdrawn.
“Any claims that he failed to meet the bail requirements are false, misleading, and contrary to the facts,” Malami’s office noted.
The statement reiterated that although the EFCC has the legal authority to investigate and prosecute, it does not have the power to impose political restrictions or infringe on constitutional rights.
Vanguard reached out to EFCC’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale, for clarification on the circumstances surrounding the alleged bail revocation and the claims made by Malami’s team. He had not responded as of press time.
Malami remains in custody at the time of filing this report.
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