EFCC to Malami: Meet your bail conditions, we remain apolitical

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) today advised the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, to expend his energy on meeting the five bail conditions he was granted by the commission,which he is yet to meet any of them.

This is as the anti-corruption commission asserted that it had no interest in the political affiliation of its suspects, declaring that, “It bears reiterating that the Commission is apolitical.”

Reacting to Malami’s claim of a purported revocation of “his bail over attendance at a political gathering in Kebbi” by EFCC, the commission’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale, in a press release made available to Tribune Online in Abuja today, informed that the former minister had neither met any of his bail conditions nor shown readiness to keep faith with them.

While stating that administrative bail is a discretionary temporary reprieve to allow a suspect to be released on stated conditions, Oyewale informed that Malami was offered provisional bail hinged on five requirements.

The EFCC spokesman added that the former minister’s claims of revocation of bail by the EFCC are untenable, stating that it is equally ridiculous to insinuate that the Commission barred him “from granting media interviews and from participating in political activities in Kebbi State”.

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, though not disposed to joining issues with respect to its operations in the media, is compelled to respond to the patently false claims of a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, about a purported revocation of “his bail over attendance at a political gathering in Kebbi”.

“Administrative bail is a discretionary temporary reprieve that allows a suspect to be released on stated conditions pending conclusion of the investigation and arraignment in court.

“To this effect, after his brief interrogation on November 28, 2025, Malami was offered provisional bail hinged on five requirements. He has neither met any of the requirements nor shown readiness to keep faith with them.

“He was due back for further interrogation on December 1, 2025, but in a curious twist, the former Minister pleaded with his investigators through a letter written to the Commission on December 4, 2025, to allow him to attend to his “ill-health”.

“The Commission compassionately granted his plea even while his bail conditions had not been met.

“He was initially required to commence reporting for further investigations on December 1, 2025, but this had to be deferred to December 4, 2025, largely owing to his “Request for an Adjournment on Grounds of Ill-Health”.

“He neither provided a medical report nor credible proof of ill-health to the Commission,” Oyewale stated.

According to the release, the commission could not allow the latitude granted Malami on health grounds to stand in the way of its investigations, which necessitated the invitation of the former minister on December 8.

“The EFCC cannot allow the latitude granted the former Minister on his health stand in the way of investigations.

“On this score, he was invited again on December 8, 2025, for further interrogation and detained until the pending bail conditions are met.

“Evidently, the former minister’s claims of revocation of bail by the EFCC are untenable. It is equally ridiculous to insinuate that the Commission barred him “from granting media interviews and from participating in political activities in Kebbi State”.

“Such bogus claims from a former chief law officer of the nation are strange, as the EFCC has no interest in the political affiliation of its suspects.”

Making a veiled reference to Friday’s arraignment of a former Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) over alleged contract fraud, Oyewale declared that EFCC was apolitical in its operations.

According to him, “It bears reiterating that the Commission is apolitical. A former governor and ranking member of the ruling party was recently arraigned for alleged contract fraud.

“The Commission wishes to advise Malami to expend his energy on meeting the five bail conditions he acknowledged and signed on November 28, 2025.

“It would also serve his interest to cooperate with his team of interrogators rather than dissipate energy in whipping up sentiments through false claims in the media.”

EFCC invited Malami, who served in the administration of late former President Muhammadu Buhari between 2015 and 2023, for questioning on Friday, November 8 and was later released the same day.

He was requested to submit his travel documents and report to the commission’s office daily in the month of December, effective from December 1, for further investigation.

The former AGF is being investigated by the anti-graft agency for alleged terrorism financing, abuse of office, money laundering and the whereabouts of the recovered Abacha loot from Switzerland and the Island of Jersey in the United Kingdom.

He was, however, detained last Monday for his failure to fulfil his bail conditions.

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