Malami condemns EFCC's armed invasion of his home as a form of political bullying

Abubakar Malami, the former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, has voiced concerns about the politically motivated nature of recent actions taken against him, particularly after his properties were raided by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

n

The EFCC operatives, on Monday, marked a property in Abuja linked to the former minister, following an interim forfeiture order granted by a court, as reported by PUNCH Online.

n

In a viral two-minute video, Malami was seen questioning the EFCC operatives about the legitimacy of their actions and demanding to see the court order that authorized the marking of his house.

n

Malami described the EFCC raid as intimidating and unnecessary in an interview with reporters on Monday, stating that the operatives were fully armed and harassing his family members under the pretext of serving letters of invitation.

n

He noted that letters were served not only at the house where he was found but also at his other multiple houses and business premises, with personnel who were fully kitted and armed.

n

Malami expressed surprise at the manner in which the court's previous order was executed, referencing a court order granted on January 6, 2026, related to the future of his properties.

n

The African Democratic Congress chieftain emphasized that he had complied with due process, stating that he was given 14 days to respond to the court order and had since responded and filed an application to have the order set aside.

n

Malami suggested that the raid and ongoing legal actions were politically motivated, citing the insinuations associated with the drama as pointing to a clear direction of political motivation.

n

He drew parallels between his detention in custody for over 99 days, contrary to the constitutionally tolerated 48 hours, and the current situation, stating that many people believed the undertones of his detention were arbitrary and pointed to political intimidation.

n

Malami highlighted the timing of the raid, which coincided with visits from prominent figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, on March 23.

n

The former minister stressed his determination to pursue his constitutional rights despite the intimidation, stating that the right to vote and be voted for is constitutional and he is entitled to those privileges as a Nigerian.

n

Malami reiterated that he would exercise his constitutional right to pursue his governorship ambition, stating that the idea of reconsidering his ambition is not on the table.

n

The EFCC commission, however, stated that the action followed a valid interim forfeiture order granted by a court, with the commission's spokesman, Dele Oyewale, describing the action as a normal law enforcement procedure in an interview on Monday.

n

Oyewale noted that the marking of the property was meant to notify members of the public about its status following a forfeiture order, as stated in an interview with a correspondent on Monday.