Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has expressed concerns over what his office described as deliberate attempts by security agencies to undermine his constitutional right to a fair hearing and effective legal defence.
Malami’s office accused the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of taking actions that allegedly contravened a valid court order and obstructed his legal preparations in an ongoing interim forfeiture case.
In a statement issued by Mohammed Bello Doka, Special Assistant on Media to Malami, the office claimed that the EFCC delayed the submission of Malami’s international passports to the Federal High Court for about a week, despite the documents being a crucial requirement for the finalisation of his bail conditions.
According to the statement, the delay prolonged Malami’s detention unnecessarily and hindered the execution of the court’s bail order.
The statement further claimed that shortly after Malami perfected his bail and was released from the Kuje Custodial Centre, he was rearrested by the DSS and detained for five days without access to his lawyers or family.
Doka alleged that Malami was only allowed to meet his legal team on Friday after what the office described as prolonged isolation and violations of his fundamental rights.
He explained that the detention occurred at a critical period when he was required to prepare his defence in an EFCC interim forfeiture proceeding before the Federal High Court, stressing that denying him access to counsel impaired his ability to consult and give instructions.
“The sequence of events suggests a pattern where arrest precedes investigation, with evidence sought after detention,” Doka alleged.
He warned that such practices undermine the authority of the judiciary and pose a serious threat to the rule of law.
“The Office stresses that bail granted by a court must have meaning.
No agency should be permitted to neutralise judicial orders through coordinated delays, rearrests, or denial of access to legal representation,” the statement read.
The office maintained that Malami remains ready to defend himself in court and called on state institutions to respect court orders, constitutional guarantees and the rule of law.
