The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has dismissed allegations that it is witch-hunting former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, insisting that its investigation into his activities is neither political nor targeted at opposition figures.
The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, said Malami had been under investigation for over two years, long before he assumed office, stressing that the commission prosecutes cases without regard to party affiliation.
Olukoyede made the clarification during an interview on Sunday Politics, a programme aired by Channels Television, following claims by the African Democratic Congress in Kebbi State that the former justice minister was being politically victimised.
According to the EFCC boss, the investigation into Malami was initiated by the commission’s previous leadership and was inherited by his administration.
“There is nothing personal in this matter. If Nigeria is to move forward, all of us must agree that the fight against corruption must be carried out without partisanship,” Olukoyede said.
He added, “This investigation did not start under me. The file was opened before I became chairman. What I did was to ensure that the investigation was handled professionally and thoroughly.”
Olukoyede disclosed that Malami had been under investigation for almost two and a half years, noting that the EFCC only proceeded to court after it was satisfied that it had built a strong and credible case.
“For over two years, we painstakingly carried out investigations to establish the alleged offences. I would not have approved prosecution if I was not convinced that the case was watertight,” he said.
The EFCC had recently arraigned Malami, his wife and son before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering.
On January 7, Justice Emeka Nwite granted the defendants bail in the sum of ₦500 million each, with two sureties who must own landed property in Abuja’s highbrow areas of Asokoro, Maitama or Gwarinpa.
The court also ordered them to deposit their international passports with the court pending the determination of the case.
Reacting to the development earlier, the ADC in Kebbi State accused the EFCC of selective prosecution, alleging that the anti-graft agency was being used to harass opposition figures.
The party claimed that when a law enforcement agency acts in a biased manner, it undermines public confidence and poses a threat to the country’s democracy.
However, Olukoyede maintained that the commission remains committed to enforcing the law impartially and urged Nigerians to judge the EFCC by its adherence to due process rather than political sentiments.
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