Abubakar Malami, SAN, a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, has denied accusations that he financed terrorism, calling them unfounded, deceptive, and politically driven.
Malami stated in a statement on Friday that he was alerted to a publication that suggested he and other people had ties to people who were allegedly funders or terror suspects.
Malami’s name was cited in the article in relation to accusations of financing terrorism and “links” to those identified as terror suspects or suspected funders.
The former minister, however, described the claims as “unfounded, unfair and contrary to both my record in public office and objective facts.”
Malami emphasised that no security, law enforcement, or intelligence agency in Nigeria or abroad has ever accused, invited, questioned, or investigated him for financing terrorism or any associated violation.
He said, “First, I state clearly and unequivocally that I have never at any time been accused, invited, interrogated, investigated or charged by any security, law-enforcement, regulatory or intelligence agency—within or outside Nigeria—in respect of terrorism financing or any related offence.
Join our WhatsApp group
“Secondly, even the retired military officer cited as the principal source in the said publication categorically admitted that he was not accusing me, or other named individuals, of financing terrorism.
“His own account, as reported, was limited to a vague assertion that certain suspects allegedly had some form of ‘business’ or ‘institutional’ relationship with various persons.
“That important clarification was, unfortunately, overshadowed by a headline and framing capable of misleading well-meaning members of the public into drawing inaccurate and damaging conclusions which was unfortunately politically manipulated by my political opponents to create mischievous insinuations implying my involvement in terrorism financing.
“Terrorism financing is a grave crime with devastating consequences for national security and human life. Any attempt—whether by direct allegation or indirect innuendo—to associate an individual with such an offence must be grounded in verifiable facts, due process and lawful findings, not in conjecture, speculation, or guilt by association.
“To suggest that lawful professional or institutional engagements can, without more, be read as evidence of terrorism financing is both mischievous and unjust. For the avoidance of doubt, my public record in office stands in direct contradiction to any insinuation of complicity in terrorism financing.”
He highlighted key reforms he spearheaded as Attorney-General, including the establishment of an independent Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, the enactment of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
According to Malami, Nigeria was eventually taken off the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as a result of these reforms, which enhanced collaboration between organisations like the NFIU, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and law enforcement authorities.
He said, “During my tenure as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, I worked with other arms of government and relevant institutions to strengthen—not weaken—Nigeria’s legal and institutional framework against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.”
Join our WhatsApp group
Malami went on to say that interacting with a diverse group of people is a typical aspect of public service and shouldn’t be interpreted as proof of misconduct.
He cautioned that irresponsible releases could harm reputations and erode trust in state institutions, urging the media to be responsible while covering national security issues.
Malami reiterated his dedication to upholding the rule of law and Nigeria’s international commitments, stating that he has the right to pursue legal action in response to any publication that falsely portrays his involvement in the battle against money laundering and terrorism financing.
Join Our Social Media Channels:
WhatsApp: NaijaEyes
Facebook: NaijaEyes
Twitter: NaijaEyes
Instagram: NaijaEyes
TikTok: NaijaEyes
