Staff Writer
The immediate-past Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, is said to have given N1 billion worth of cars to his followers in Kebbi State. Human and Environmental Agenda, a civil society organization, has urged a “thorough, immediate and urgent investigation” into this matter.
Malami’s investigation into multiple claims of corruption and misuse of office was also asked by the anti-corruption group in a petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission.
The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, was also copied on HEDA’s four-page appeal, which was signed by the organization’s chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju.
It criticized anti-corruption organizations for not looking into those charges, which, according to the group’s statement, were supported by media reports and documentary evidence.
When Mr. Malami was serving as Minister of Justice, the organization claimed that this lack of inquiry was “at the heart of breakdown of law and order and total disregard for the rule of law.”
One of the claims of corruption against Malami, according to HEDA, is the “distribution of 30 car gifts worth over N1,000,000,000 to his supporters in Kebbi State.”
The group claims that “14 Mercedes Benz, eight Prado SUVs, four Toyota Hilux, and four Lexus LX” were given as gifts, and they also state that “social media influencers, executive members of Mr. Malami’s foundation, and women support groups were the beneficiaries.”
The group also claims that there was “illegal auctioning of sea vessels holding crude oil seized by the Federal Government; violating Section 31(2) and (4) of the EFCC Act 2004 and assuming the role conferred upon the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as reported by The Cable Newspaper on July 13, 2020.”
After Swiss attorney Enrico Monfrini, hired and fully compensated by the previous government to aid in the recovery, had finished his brief, “alleged duplicity of payment of $16.9 million fees to two friends as new lawyers for the recovery of the loot was traced to a former Nigerian Head of State, Sani Abacha, as reported by PremiumTimes on April 10, 2018.
“Mr. Malami was said to have taken the action with the intention for reward from the transaction.
Through his letters to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, he allegedly requested the withdrawal of cases against people associated with the Malabu scandal, including Bello Adoke, Diezani Alison-Madueke, Abubakar Aliyu, and others on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence to support claims that they engaged in dishonest behavior.
The charges against the previous AGF, HEDA emphasized, were too severe to be disregarded or allowed to pass without further inquiry.
Calls to Dr. Umar Gwandu, the Special Assistant to Malami on Media, did not connect, and as of the time this story was filed, a text message sent to him had not received a response.
