A Northern advocacy group, Arewa 100 Percent Focus, has raised the alarm over the continued detention of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, insisting that his freedom should follow swiftly on the heels of a valid court order.
In a statement released in Abuja on Saturday, the group’s National President, Dr. Abubakar Fakai, urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to obey the ruling delivered by Justice Babaginda Hassan of the FCT High Court, Abuja, on December 18, describing compliance as a litmus test for respect for the rule of law.
Fakai warned that justice must not be turned into a selective sieve, stressing that anti-corruption efforts lose credibility when they appear tilted by politics or geography. He maintained that investigations and prosecutions must be even-handed, not a game of favourites.
The call follows an earlier decision by Justice S.C. Oriji of the FCT High Court, Abuja, who on December 10 ordered Malami’s remand in EFCC custody for 14 days to enable investigations.
However, Malami’s legal team later approached Justice Babaginda Hassan with an ex parte bail application on December 15. That request was initially dismissed on December 18, with the court holding that the former minister was lawfully detained.
In a turn of events, Justice Hassan subsequently granted Malami bail after an ex parte hearing, approving his release under the same conditions earlier proposed by the EFCC.
Malami, who has remained in custody since December 8, is facing 16 charges alongside his son, Abubakar Malami, and Bashir Asabe, an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd.
The charges border on allegations of money laundering, concealment, and unlawful acquisition of proceeds linked to illegal activities—claims that are now set to be tested in court as the legal drama continues to unfold.
