DSS sources confirm arrest of Malami
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, over allegations bordering on terrorism financing.
A senior security source confirmed the development, saying multiple petitions were submitted against Malami, leading to his arrest by the secret police.
“Yes, it is true that DSS operatives arrested Abubakar Malami, SAN. There are several petitions against him bordering on alleged terrorism financing,” the source said.
The source noted that terrorism and terrorism financing are grave offences both locally and internationally, stressing that such allegations must be investigated thoroughly, irrespective of the status of the individual involved.
“Terrorism and terrorism financing are serious offences globally. You will recall that when Abubakar Malami, SAN, was Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, he vowed that the government would not shield any person or persons linked to terrorism or terrorism financing,” he added.
According to the source, no responsible government can afford to ignore weighty allegations of terrorism financing, no matter how highly placed the individual concerned.
“No responsible government would fold its hands or turn a blind eye to serious allegations of terrorism financing levelled against any individual, including Malami, SAN,” he said.
The security source further explained that Malami’s arrest followed inter-agency cooperation among security agencies, describing the process as a standard practice during investigations.
“In the course of investigations, there is what is called inter-agency cooperation. It is not uncommon for one security agency to hand over a person under investigation to another sister agency,” he said.
He clarified that in Nigeria, the DSS is the agency statutorily responsible for investigating terrorism-related offences and urged the public to allow the service to carry out its mandate.
“In Nigeria, the DSS is the sole security agency tasked with the responsibility of investigating such allegations. It is best to allow them to do their job,” the source stated.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Malami nor his legal team had responded to the allegations.
