In a stunning revelation, it has been disclosed that Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice under the previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, purportedly obstructed endeavors to reclaim substantial sums estimated at N70 trillion, which had been pilfered from Nigeria’s national coffe....CONTINUE READING
This shocking disclosure, backed by multiple documents obtained by SaharaReporters and validated by top insiders within the Federal Ministry of Justice, sheds light on a disturbing trend of financial impropriety that plagued key federal offices during Buhari’s tenure between 2015 and 2023.
Despite fervent denials from the former minister, it has been alleged that Malami systematically sidelined private investigators and whistleblowers who initiated efforts to recover the embezzled funds.
Instead, Malami is said to have struck clandestine deals with implicated individuals and entities involved in large-scale financial malfeasance.
According to sources privy to the matter, whistleblowers and private investigators, acting in accordance with the 2016 Federal whistleblower policy, flagged multiple bank accounts harboring funds suspected to have been misappropriated, dating as far back as the oil price resurgence in 1999 and subsequent boom between 2001 and 2003.
These accounts, some directly linked to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), reportedly held a staggering sum of “well over N70 trillion naira” belonging to the Nigerian government, as revealed by a top official within the Federal Ministry of Justice.
However, the trajectory of the case took a sharp turn when Malami personally intervened, effectively wresting control away from the asset recovery unit and assuming direct oversight of the recovery efforts.
This abrupt takeover, described by one official as resulting in “no success or failure,” left whistleblowers and investigators sidelined and disillusioned.
Documents obtained by SaharaReporters detail Malami’s purported engagement of legal counsel to initiate recovery proceedings, with specific instructions issued to recover funds traced to specified accounts allegedly belonging to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Despite legal mandates and court orders aimed at freezing accounts and facilitating recovery, the process was reportedly marred by non-compliance from financial institutions and alleged obstruction from Malami’s office.
Furthermore, investigations suggest that between 2021 and 2023, Malami presided over a network of accomplices, including top bankers, facilitating covert movement of funds within the Nigerian banking system.
Additionally, sources allege that Malami wielded executive influence over federal high court judges, manipulating court proceedings to stall progress and obstruct justice.
Attempts to seek redress through legal channels were reportedly met with a series of setbacks, with court proceedings marked by delays, adjournments, and ultimately, dismissal of the case in March 2023 due to Malami’s absence in court.
Despite mounting allegations and ongoing investigations by authorities, Malami vehemently denies any wrongdoing, attributing the recovery efforts to standard whistleblower protocols and legal engagements initiated during his tenure.
However, questions linger over the fate of the unrecovered funds, with concerns raised over the potential mismanagement and misappropriation of Nigeria’s assets under the guise of legal proceedings.
