The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria has faulted the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, over his public demand that the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should step aside from probing allegations levelled against him, describing the move as legally baseless, evasive and an attempt to personalize a statutory process.
HURIWA, in a statement issued on Monday, said Malami’s argument that the serving EFCC chairman; Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede (Ola Olukoyede), a lawyer appointed by President Bola Tinubu lacks the locus to investigate him is not only untenable but also smacks of panic and desperation by a former chief law officer who should know better. The rights group stressed that the EFCC is a legally constituted agency empowered by law to investigate and prosecute economic and financial crimes involving any Nigerian, regardless of status, past office or political affiliation.
The association questioned Malami’s posture, asking pointedly who he believes himself to be that a statutory anti-graft agency of the Federal Government cannot investigate allegations linked to his tenure. According to HURIWA, attempting to divert the matter to another agency such as the ICPC on the basis of alleged bias amounts to chasing shadows and trivializing serious allegations that demand clear answers, not procedural gymnastics.
HURIWA said that if the EFCC has made allegations suggesting the commission of offences, the former minister’s duty is simple and straightforward: submit himself to investigation, offer explanations where necessary and, if charged, defend himself robustly before a court of competent jurisdiction. The group noted that guilt or innocence is not determined on television or through press statements but by the courts, following due process.
The association described Malami’s stance as reminiscent of what it called “children’s arguments,” warning that it is unbecoming of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a former Attorney-General to be disputing the authority of an institution he once worked closely with as a key pillar of the criminal justice system. HURIWA said the law is clear that investigations are conducted by institutions, not by individuals, and that the EFCC chairman does not need any personal dispute with Malami to lawfully discharge his statutory responsibilities.
HURIWA further dismissed insinuations that the EFCC chairman has any personal issues with Malami, stressing that the anti-graft boss was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu based on merit and in line with extant laws. The group said it is misleading for Malami to individualize his case and attempt to frame the investigation as a vendetta rather than what it is: an institutional inquiry into alleged wrongdoing.
Reacting to claims that Malami has exited the All Progressives Congress, HURIWA said it does not share that view, adding that even if such a claim were true, it does not insulate him from accountability. The association recalled that Malami remains a prominent member of the inner circle of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, which midwifed the emergence of the current government, and therefore questioned why he appears to be afraid of his own shadows.
HURIWA noted that President Tinubu is a leading figure of the APC, the same party under which Malami served as Attorney-General for eight years, and argued that there is no rational basis for portraying the investigation as political persecution. According to the group, the optics of fear and deflection only deepen public suspicion and undermine Malami’s own claim of innocence.
The association warned against reliance on any panel report to argue that the EFCC lacks investigative powers over Malami, stressing that no administrative panel can override clear statutory provisions establishing the EFCC and defining its mandate. HURIWA said such arguments, coming from a former chief law officer, are troubling and risk misleading the public.
HURIWA urged Malami to stop chasing shadows, cease media theatrics and face the allegations squarely, insisting that the fastest way to clear his name, if he is indeed innocent, is to cooperate fully with investigators and allow the judicial process to run its course. The group reaffirmed its support for due process and the independence of anti-corruption agencies, warning that attempts to intimidate or delegitimize lawful investigations pose a grave threat to accountability and the rule of law in Nigeria.
