The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed claims by a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, that his bail was revoked over his attendance at a political gathering in Kebbi State, describing the allegation as “patently false.”
In a statement, the Commission said it was “not disposed to joining issues with respect to its operations in the media,” but was compelled to respond to what it called misleading claims by Malami regarding a “purported revocation of ‘his bail over attendance at a political gathering in Kebbi’.”
The EFCC explained that administrative bail “is a discretionary reprieve that allows a suspect to be released on stated conditions pending conclusion of investigation and arraignment in court.”
According to the Commission, after a brief interrogation on November 28, 2025, Malami was offered provisional bail subject to five conditions. However, it said he “has neither met any of the requirements nor shown readiness to keep faith with them.”
The former minister was expected to return for further interrogation on December 1, 2025, but wrote to the Commission on December 4, 2025, requesting permission to attend to his “ill-health.”
“The Commission compassionately granted his plea even while his bail conditions had not been met,” the EFCC said.
It added that although Malami was required to commence reporting for further investigations on December 1, 2025, this was deferred to December 4, 2025, largely due to his “Request for an Adjournment on Grounds of Ill-Health.”
However, the EFCC noted that Malami “neither provided a medical report nor credible proof of ill-health to the Commission.”
The anti-graft agency said it could not allow the latitude granted on health grounds to obstruct its investigations. “On this score, he was invited again on December 8, 2025 for further interrogation and detained until the pending bail conditions are met,” it stated.
The Commission maintained that Malami’s assertion that his bail was revoked was unfounded. “Evidently, the former minister’s claims of revocation of bail by the EFCC are untenable,” the statement said.
It also rejected suggestions that the EFCC barred him “from granting media interviews and from participating in political activities in Kebbi State,” describing such allegations as “ridiculous” and “bogus.”
“Such bogus claims from a former chief law officer of the nation are strange, as the EFCC has no interest in the political affiliation of its suspects,” the Commission said, stressing that it is apolitical.
To underscore this point, the EFCC noted that “a former governor and ranking member of the ruling party was recently arraigned for alleged contract fraud.”
The Commission advised Malami to focus on fulfilling his bail obligations. “The Commission wishes to advise Malami to expend his energy on meeting the five bail conditions he acknowledged and signed on November 28, 2025,” it said.
“It would also serve his interest to cooperate with his team of interrogators rather than dissipate energy in whipping up sentiments through false claims in the media.”
