The Office of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of openly defying a valid court order, unlawfully detaining him beyond the period permitted by law, and subjecting him to what it described as a “media trial.”
In a press release dated December 23, 2025, and signed by Malami’s Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, the office said a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, had on the same day admitted Malami to bail after confirming that all bail conditions had been fulfilled. According to the statement, EFCC officials were formally served with the court order but allegedly refused to accept the court-backed letter, chased away the court bailiff, and insisted on continuing Malami’s detention.
The statement described the EFCC’s conduct as “institutional lawlessness,” alleging that the anti-graft agency had elevated itself above the judiciary by refusing to obey a binding court order. It further claimed that Malami has been held for more than 14 days without being arraigned before any court of competent jurisdiction, an action the office said was illegal, unconstitutional, and a violation of his fundamental rights.
The release noted that the EFCC was relying on an earlier High Court order that permitted Malami’s detention for a maximum of 14 days, an order which it said expired on December 23. The office argued that even without the separate bail granted by another court, the EFCC was legally obligated to either release Malami immediately or arraign him in court, neither of which had been done as of the time of the statement.
Beyond the issue of detention, Malami’s office accused the EFCC of engaging in a deliberate media campaign, allegedly feeding selective information to the press to influence public opinion and damage reputations. It described this as an abuse of power and a threat to the principles of justice, fairness, and the rule of law.
The statement warned that when an anti-corruption agency disobeys court orders, detains citizens indefinitely, and uses the media as a tool, it risks undermining democracy itself. It stressed that court orders are binding and that selective obedience to judicial authority could lead to anarchy.
Malami, according to the release, has consistently expressed his willingness to submit to due process and have any allegations against him determined by a court of law, while rejecting what the office termed “trial by detention, trial by media, and trial by political vendetta.”
The Office of Abubakar Malami, SAN, called on the judiciary to take urgent notice of what it described as contempt of court, urged relevant oversight bodies to hold the EFCC accountable, and appealed to Nigerians to speak out against what it said was a dangerous precedent.
“No agency, no matter how powerful, is above the law,” the statement concluded.
