The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has called on former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to present himself for a thorough investigation into allegations of corruption and abuse of office. The anti-corruption organisation advised Malami to stop distracting the public with claims of bias and political persecution.
HEDA Rejects Malami's Narrative of Persecution
In a strong statement issued by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, HEDA reacted to Malami's recent demand for the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to recuse himself from an ongoing probe. The group described Malami's allegations of vendetta and persecution as a calculated attempt to divert attention from the substantive corruption issues he needs to address.
The organisation emphasised that the former Justice Minister should submit himself to the investigative process instead of trying to undermine it with unsubstantiated claims.
The Lingering Mystery of the Salami Panel Report
HEDA highlighted a critical failure during Malami's tenure: his refusal to release or officially gazette the report of the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry. Despite repeated public demands since the panel concluded its work, the report remains shrouded in secrecy.
This continued concealment, according to HEDA, raises serious and legitimate questions about the genuineness of the panel's work and the credibility of the government that established it. The group pointed out that several individuals who were either invited or allegedly indicted by the Salami panel have since seen significant career advancement.
"For instance, former Acting EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu returned to the Nigeria Police Force, was promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector General, and retired honourably," Suraju noted. "Similarly, Rotimi Oyedepo became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and now serves as Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu."
Allegations of a Targeted Witch-Hunt
HEDA argues that these developments reinforce a widespread public perception that the Salami panel was not a tool for genuine institutional reform but was instead designed to target specific individuals. The organisation identified three principal targets: Ibrahim Magu, Rotimi Oyedepo, and the current EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, who served as the panel's Secretary.
The group, which filed the 2023 petition leading to Malami's investigation and arrest, alleged the panel's mission was to go after these three men for resisting Malami's influence. According to HEDA:
- Magu was targeted for resisting Malami's interference in EFCC cases.
- Oyedepo was targeted for challenging the alleged abuse of prosecutorial power through a nolle prosequi in a case involving Abebe, filed by the EFCC under the fiat of the Lagos Attorney-General.
- Olukoyede was targeted for challenging Malami's illegal usurpation of the EFCC Secretary's power in disposing of recovered assets.
HEDA's position was bolstered when the Federal High Court in Lagos declared asset management guidelines issued by Malami as illegal, null, and void.
The organisation concluded that after the removal of these individuals from their roles, the panel's report was never made public. This fact, HEDA insists, fundamentally undermines Malami's current reliance on that same opaque process to support his fresh claims of being persecuted.
