By Charles Pemu 
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, following his inability to meet the bail conditions set by the anti-graft agency.
A source from the commission confirmed the development, stating that Malami was still in custody as of 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The former minister was initially granted bail but has failed to meet the requirements necessary for his release.
“We arrested him for not meeting his bail conditions, and he will remain in our custody until he meets those conditions,” the EFCC source confirmed. “The offences against him are many.”
The anti-graft agency is currently investigating Malami for a range of serious offences, requiring him to appear daily for interrogation through December.
“Presently, we are investigating him for 18 different offences,” the source disclosed. “Some of them are money laundering, abuse of office, and terrorism financing.”
The detention is also linked to Malami’s need to clarify issues related to the operation of suspicious accounts and the whereabouts of specific tranches of the Abacha loot recovered from Switzerland and the Island of Jersey in the UK. The commission noted that it cannot yet put a definitive figure on the amount involved as new deals are continually being uncovered during the investigation.
Malami has publicly maintained his innocence, insisting that the allegations against him are “fabricated.”
In a statement addressing the accusations, the former Minister asserted: “For the avoidance of doubt, my public record in office stands in direct contradiction to any insinuation of complicity in terrorism financing. During my tenure as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, I worked with other arms of government and relevant institutions to strengthen not weaken Nigeria’s legal and institutional framework against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.”
The former AGF will remain in custody until the bail conditions are fulfilled.