Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has strongly denied claims linking him to terrorism financing, describing the allegations as baseless, misleading, and driven by political motives.
In a statement obtained by The News Chronicle on Friday, Malami said he became aware of a publication suggesting that he and other individuals had connections to people described as terror suspects or alleged financiers. He insisted that the claims were “unfounded, unfair, and contrary to both my record in public office and the facts.”
Malami emphasized that he has never been accused, invited, questioned, or investigated by any security or intelligence agency in Nigeria or abroad over terrorism financing or related offences.
According to him, even the retired military officer cited in the publication admitted he was not accusing Malami or others of financing terrorism, but merely claimed that some suspects had business or institutional relationships with various people.
Malami said this vague statement was twisted into misleading headlines that political opponents used to create false impressions about him.
He stressed that terrorism financing is a serious crime and any accusation must be based on verified facts, due process, and lawful findings not speculation or guilt by association.
Malami also highlighted reforms he led during his time as Attorney General, including:
Establishing an independent Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Enacting the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and Enacting the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
He said these reforms strengthened coordination between agencies like the NFIU, CBN, and law-enforcement bodies, contributing to Nigeria’s removal from the FATF grey list.
Malami noted that engaging with many individuals comes with public service and should not be misinterpreted as wrongdoing.
He urged the media to act responsibly when reporting on national security issues, warning that careless reporting can harm reputations and weaken public trust in institutions.
He reaffirmed his commitment to the rule of law and said he reserves the right to seek legal redress against any publication that misrepresents his role in combating money laundering and terrorism financing.
