FORMER Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has denied rumours that he is on the run due to corruption allegations.
Following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s suspension of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, for his conduct while in office on Wednesday, there have been claims that Malami has fled the country to avoid arrest and investigation.
Malami, who is from Kebbi State, was the country’s chief law officer throughout President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year administration. When Bawa was named EFCC chair in 2021, Malami has told newsmen that he suggested him based on his expertise.
“I am happy that most of the comments made are not on his capacity, intelligence, competence and associated ability to deliver. His capacity to deliver was never questioned across the nation,” he said in March 2021.
However, Bawa’s suspension on Wednesday has raised questions about Malami’s stewardship.
According to an EFCC source, the anti-graft agency was interested in learning from Malami about the alleged loss of over $2.4 billion in revenue from the illegal sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil export in 2015, which included all crude oil exports and sales by Nigeria from 2014 to date. He stated that the previous minister was invited.
According to the source when the former Attorney-General of the Federation ultimately accepts the offer, he will address more issues,
“I have no plan of leaving Nigeria and I will gladly honour any invitation extended to me by any agency of government. I’m a true Nigerian and I believe in the Nigerian project.
“I will make myself available to Nigeria and its institutions on demand.”
On his part, the former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, who was also reported to have been invited by the EFCC, has faulted the claim.
In a phone interview with Daily trust, he said, “Well, maybe they invited me in their imagination, but what I do know is that I had gone to see the former chairman (Bawa) last week, and I have not received any invitation. If they want to invite me, I’m here.”
When asked whether he went to see Bawa based on his invitation or personally, he said, “I did not get any invitation from the EFCC, Oga, that’s what I said to you. I have not been invited. If I’m invited, it is not any news or no news; I can go whenever I’m invited.
“If they invite me today, I will appear. I was a public officer and I am accountable for my actions. Public officers are accountable for their actions. If I’m invited by the EFCC, I will go. I’ve not seen any invitation. I am in my house, and I’m based in Abuja, not Kaduna, and they are also here in Abuja.”
There were reports that Sirika was summoned over how he handled Nigerian Air. The anti-graft agency had already questioned officials of the proposed national carrier over the recent launch of the airline in Abuja.
But the spokesman of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, told Daily Trust that Sirika had been invited.
“Yes, that’s what I am telling you, he was invited. I can confirm that there is an ongoing investigation in that regard. I won’t speak further until he confirms his invitation,” he said over the phone.
A source at the EFCC had last night told this paper that eight former ministers, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari, have been invited over allegations bordering on corruption.
The invitation letters, requested that former top government officials come and explain how they spent funds allocated to their ministries on some designated projects when they held their respective positions.
The letters, it was gathered, were extended to the former ministers before the suspension of Abdulrasheed Bawa as chairman of the commission.
The source said apart from the former minister of Women’s Affairs, Pauline Tallen, who was invited last week over alleged N2bn fraud and “part of the money allegedly diverted from the African First Lady Peace Mission Project,” about seven others have also been invited.
It would be recalled that Sale Mamman, also a former minister of power under former President Buhari, was last month arrested and detained by the commission in connection with an alleged N22 billion fraud related to power projects.
In the same vein, it was learnt that the immediate past minister of police affairs, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, has also been summoned over how the Police Trust Fund was handled.
Speaking further on condition of anonymity, the source said Dingyadi would provide answers to allegations of purchasing refurbished vehicles for the Nigeria Police as new.
“Well, I’m not aware of the letter, I’ve not seen it. Maybe they sent it to the office, I will inquire from the office”, the minister of police affairs, Dingyadi said on the phone.
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