EFCC re-arrests Former Attorney General Malami over unmet bail conditions
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has again detained Nigeria’s former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), just days after he was first questioned by the agency.
SaharaReporters-confirmed sources revealed that Malami was arrested late Monday night, where he reportedly struggled to satisfy the EFCC’s strict bail requirements. He was said to be searching for two serving permanent secretaries to stand as sureties—an essential condition for his release.
“EFCC arrested Abubakar Malami again; he was looking for two Permanent Secretaries for bail conditions on Monday night,” a source familiar with the investigation disclosed.
This development marks Malami’s second detention within a short span. His initial appearance before the EFCC occurred on Friday, November 28, during which he was interrogated and granted bail—though he nearly spent the night in custody due to the stringent conditions.
After the first round of questioning, Malami confirmed his release on his official X handle, writing: “The engagement was successful and I am eventually released while on an appointment for further engagement as the truth relating to the fabricated allegations against me continue to unfold.”
The fresh arrest comes against the backdrop of Malami’s public rebuttal of the EFCC’s allegations, which center on the recovery of the Sani Abacha loot—$310 million, later $322.5 million with accrued interest.
He rejected claims that he duplicated a recovery process allegedly completed by Swiss lawyer Enrico Monfrini before he assumed office in 2015. Malami’s media aide, Mohammed Doka, described the allegations as “baseless, illogical, and devoid of substance.”
Malami further argued that Monfrini had, in fact, sought re-engagement for the same recovery in December 2016, contradicting claims that the work had been concluded.
According to Malami, he saved Nigeria between 15% (₦76.8 billion at an average ₦1,600 rate) and 35% ($179.2 billion) of the recovered sum by rejecting Monfrini’s 20–40% success fee demand and a $5 million upfront payment. Instead, he opted for a local law firm under a transparent 5% success fee structure.
Malami insisted that “any claim or investigation suggesting abuse of office or money laundering in relation to the $322.5million is not rooted in any reasonable ground for suspicion.”
