Detained former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Chika Malami, has clapped back at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing the agency of deliberately frustrating his bail process to keep him in custody.
Malami said the anti-graft commission imposed stringent and nearly impossible bail conditions, then turned around to claim he refused bail, an allegation he strongly disputes.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his media aide, Muhammed Bello Doka, the former justice minister described the EFCC’s position as misleading and calculated to prolong his detention.
“Such conditions are intentionally used by EFCC to prolong his detention at the same time saying he refused bail. From the onset, Malami was ready to comply with the bail, but the commission denied him the opportunity to do so.
The statement also dismissed claims that Malami attempted to evade investigation, insisting he has always been law-abiding and cooperative with authorities.
Doka stressed that allegations of evasion were not made by Malami but originated from the commission itself.
Malami therefore called on the EFCC to stop what he described as a media trial and instead set attainable bail conditions that would allow him perfect his bail, rather than portraying him as someone who rejected it.
