ICPC Begins Probe Of Malami Over Alleged Corruption, Abuse Of Office

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) is set to investigate the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over allegations of corruption and abuse of office.

The ICPC made this known in a memo dated July 19, 2023, and signed by the Commission’s Petition Registrar, H.S. Folaranmi, in acknowledgement of a petition sent by a Nigeria-based non-governmental organisation, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA).

According to SaharaReporters, the memo reads, “I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your petition on the above subject and to inform you that necessary action is being taken on the matter.”

In the HEDA’s petition dated, July 10, and signed by its chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, the organization had asked the ICPC to investigate Malami for alleged corruption and abuse of office.

The petition read in parts: “This petition is submitted to bring to your attention and demand an investigation into allegations of corruption and abuse of office against the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN).

“We are perturbed by the lack of investigation or report of any by the anti-corruption agencies of several reports of corrupt practices and abuse of office levelled against the person and revered position occupied by Mr Malami, being the number one law officer of the country.

“Some of these allegations as conveyed in the media reports and documentary evidence go to the root of breakdown of law and order and total disregard for the rule of law while Mr. Malami served as Justice Minister. These allegations serve as a slap in the face of the anti-corruption agencies and Nigerian people. The failure to respond to many of these allegations presents the agencies before the ordinary citizen as toothless anti-corruption bodies and further emboldens affected public officers.

“Below are but a few of several corruption allegations against Mr. Abubakar Malami; On the 2nd day of May 2022, it was widely reported by various news outlets that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; Abubakar Malami SAN distributed 30 car gifts worth over ₦1,000,000,000:00 (One Billion Naira) to his supporters in Kebbi State. The car gifts included 14 Mercedes Benz, 8 Prado SUVs, 4 Toyota Hilux and 4 Lexus LX. Beneficiaries of the car gifts as reported by PremiumTimes were social media influencers, executive members of Mr Malami’s foundation and women support groups.

“Two, 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 on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as reported by The Cable Newspaper on the 13th July 2020. The AGF also authorized the sale of these vessels by companies under EFCC prosecution for similar offence of illegal bunkering and this action was admitted by the AGF through his Media Assistant pleading presumption of innocence on the part of the accused, in a case being prosecuted by the Federal Government through the EFCC.

“Three, Ordering the stoppage of investigation of a multi-billion Naira fraud involving Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NISRAL); by a letter ordering the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to all stop investigating the financial misappropriation in NIRSAL, allegedly describing the investigations as an “unhealthy competition” and “sheer waste of government resources”

“Four, alleged duplicity of payment of $16.9 million fees to two friends as new lawyers for the recovery of the loot traced to a former Nigerian Head of State, Sanni Abacha, after a Swiss lawyer, Enrico Monfrini, hired and fully paid by the previous government, to help in the recovery had completed his brief as reported by PremiumTimes on the 10th of April, 2018.

“It was alleged that Mr. Malami undertook the action with the intention for a kickback from the deal. allegedly seeking the withdrawal of the cases against Bello Adoke, Diezani Alison-Madueke, Abubakar Aliyu and others involved in the Malabu scandal through his letters to former President Buhari on the ground of lack of significant evidence to prove allegations of sharp practices against prominent players in OPL 245 oil deal. As reported by Premium Times on the 18th of February, 2018.

“Reinstatement of Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT) into the Federal Civil Service under controversial circumstances defying due process, and indicating compromise of Malami by Maina after his dismissal in 2013 for corruption and declared wanted by EFCC as reported by Daily Trust Newspaper of April 3rd 2018. This was after Malami admitted before Senate ad-hoc Committee that he met with Maina in Dubai, at a time when Maina was wanted by the EFCC for over N2 billion in corruption.”