The offices and private homes of former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, SAN, were the target of coordinated raids by agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja and Kebbi.
Malami revealed that the raids were conducted on Tuesday, December 16, without warning in a message posted on his Facebook wall today, December 17, by his media assistant Mohammed Doka. He said that the raids were specifically intended to find papers purportedly related to Chapter 9 of the Salami Report.
‘’We consider this development deeply alarming. Coming on the heels of a public call for the EFCC Chairman’s recusal on grounds of bias arising from Chapter 9, these raids raise grave concerns about intimidation, retaliation, and the safety of our staff and of Abubakar Malami, SAN.
We hereby place Nigerians and the international community on notice that any harm to our personnel or to Abubakar Malami, SAN, will be solely attributable to this pattern of conduct
Questions Nigerians and the Media Must Ask
We urge Nigerians—particularly the media—to ask vital and germane questions, including but not limited to:
Why did these raids occur immediately after public reference to Chapter 9?
What specific authority justified searches focused on Chapter 9 of the Salami Report?
If the process is impartial, why resort to force and secrecy rather than due process?
Why has Chapter 9 remained a matter of contention years after the report’s submission?
Malami called on civil society organisations, professional bodies, and human rights groups to urgently pressure the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Justice, and the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation to release the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry Report—particularly Chapter 9—in the interest of transparency, accountability, and public confidence.
