AGF Malami under fire as groups write Buhari over 14 high-profile corruption cases

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), is back in the spotlight after anticorruption groups submitted 14 high profile corruption allegations against him to President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a letter sent to the President at the weekend, tagged “Compilation of Corruption Allegations and Abuse of Office Against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice” three leading anti-corruption groups called for immediate probe of the AGF.

The groups, in the letter, said the immediate option before the AGF is to resign and give way for full inquiry into the grand allegations that seem to portray the AGF as stunningly corrupt.

They urged Buhari to put in motion a Public inquiry to probe the minister or trigger a slew of legal fireworks in the country.

“It has to be now or never. There are very strong allegations of corruption against Mr Abubakar  Malami with clear evidence. President Buhari should act now. We have listed these corruption cases after painstaking compilation of high profile corruption cases involving the country’s No 1 law officer. The President must act without delay,” the coalition said in the petition signed by Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) Chairman, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL Chairman, Mr Debo Adeniran, and Co-founder, Say No Campaign, Ezenwa Nwagwu. CSNAC is a coalition of some 150 civil society spread across the country.

The coalition said the response of Buhari to the allegations has the prospect of determining the future of the anti-corruption campaign in the country.

“We are perturbed by these reports considering the revered position occupied by Mr. Malami, being the number one law officer of the country. Some of the allegations as conveyed in the media reports go to the root of breakdown of law and order and total disregard for the rule of law. These allegations serve as a slap in the face to your Excellency’s administration foremost goal of ridding the Nation of corruption. These allegations are totally opposite the core objectives of your administration and international perception of the country,” the three groups wrote in the petition to Buhari.

Some of the allegations against Malami include the auctioning of sea vessels holding crude oil seized by the Federal Government, twisting the law to shield his family members, corrupt officials and institutions in the most brazen manners.

Malami was said to be responsible for the reinstatement of Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT) into the Federal Civil Service Commission without due process.

He was said to have filed for the discontinuation of a 25billion Naira criminal charge against Senator Danjuma Goje without any justification, after over 7 years of diligent investigation and prosecution by the EFCC, whereas in June this year, he allegedly withdrew criminal charges against soldiers who were accused of killing police officers and a civilian in the bid to aid the escape of Wadume, a millionaire kidnapper.