Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami (SAN), is reportedly under fresh investigation following the discovery of arms and ammunition at his residence in Kebbi State.
According to a reports, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recovered weapons during a search of Malami’s country home in the state.
It further disclosed that the EFCC has since handed over the recovered arms to the Department of State Services (DSS) for further investigation, noting that the anti-graft agency does not have the constitutional mandate to investigate matters relating to the illegal possession of arms and ammunition.
Although the exact quantity of the recovered weapons could not be independently confirmed, sources cited by The Nation indicated that the arms and ammunition were significant enough to warrant a full-scale investigation by the DSS.
Reports gathered that Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) had been placed under a heavy security blanket as over 50 DSS operatives took up strategic positions around the facility beginning Wednesday.
Sources described the deployment as a preemptive move to ensure that Malami, being held at the facility does not escape an investigation into terrorism-related offences, especially after he was granted bail by the Federal High Court in Abuja in his N8.7 billion money laundering case on Wednesday.
According to sources familiar with the development, Malami, therefore, instructed his legal team to slow down the bail process amid fears that DSS operatives were prepared to rearrest him immediately upon his release in connection with an ongoing investigation linked to alleged terrorism financing.
“Malami has slowed down his bail processing as DSS operatives besiege Kuje Prison to arrest him for terrorism related charges upon being released on bail,” a top security source told SaharaReporters last week. “The former attorney general has told his lawyers to step down his bail processing as over 50 DSS officers lay siege to the prison compound waiting to pounce on him.”
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“The former minister is being separately investigated for allegedly having arms in his house in Birnin Kebbi. The inventory of the shock find has been handed over to the DSS,” a source confirmed the report.
“It is now left to Malami to explain to the DSS how he came about the arms. That’s why he is yet to perfect his bail conditions. He is holed up in prison to avoid arrest by the DSS.
“DSS operatives are within the precincts of Kuje Correctional Service to invite Malami. He got wind of their presence and raised the alarm. But the law must take its course.”
Another source within the EFCC confirmed that Malami has not fulfilled the requirements attached to his bail.
“By our records, the ex-AGF is still in custody. We saw all manners of fake clips on social media on his purported arrival and rousing reception in Kebbi State,” the source said, dismissing claims that Malami had regained freedom.
The source further revealed that investigations into Malami’s activities did not begin recently but date back several years.
“The investigation into Malami’s activities during his tenure began when former EFCC Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu was in office.
“Investigation continued through the administration of another Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Chukkol, to the present Executive Chairman. Chukkol, who works in the agency, was in charge briefly before Olukoyede’s appointment.
“There is nothing vindictive about his investigation since 2019. It is an inherited case, and the ex-AGF knows this,” the source said.
The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, also confirmed during an interview last night on Channels Television that he inherited the Malami case upon assuming office.
The latest development comes barely a week after Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted Malami, his wife, Asabe Bashir, and their son, Abdulaziz Malami, bail in an ongoing fraud case. The court reportedly fixed their bail at ₦500 million each, with two sureties required per defendant.