An probe into the purported N1 billion automobile presents given by the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to his followers in Kebbi State, has been ordered by a civil society group called Human and Environmental Agenda.
In a petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, the anti-corruption group also urged that Malami be the subject of an investigation into a number of corruption and abuse of office claims made against him.
The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, was also copied on HEDA’s four-page appeal, which was signed by the organization’s chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju.
It criticised anti-corruption organisations for not looking into those charges, which, according to the group’s statement, were supported by media reports and documentary evidence.
When Mr Malami was serving as Minister of Justice, the organisation claimed that this lack of inquiry was “at the heart of the collapse of law and order and blatant disrespect for the rule of law.”
HEDA listed the “distribution of 30 automobile presents costing over N1,000,000,000 to his loyalists in Kebbi State” as one of the corruption claims against Malami.
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The group claims that “14 Mercedes Benz, eight Prado SUVs, four Toyota Hilux, and four Lexus LX” were given as gifts, and they also state that “social media influencers, executive members of Mr Malami’s foundation, and women support groups were the recipients.”
The group also claims that there was “illegal auctioning of sea vessels holding crude oil seized by the Federal Government; violating Section 31(2) and (4) of the EFCC Act 2004 and assuming the role conferred upon the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as reported by The Cable Newspaper on July 13, 2020.”
“Alleged duplicity of payment of $16.9m fees to two friends as new lawyers for the recovery of the loot traced to a former Nigerian Head of State, Sani Abacha, after a Swiss lawyer, Enrico Monfrini, hired and fully paid by the previous government to help in the recovery, had completed his brief as reported by PremiumTimes on April 10, 2018.
“It was alleged that Mr Malami undertook the action with the intention for kickback from the deal.
“Allegedly seeking the withdrawal of cases against Bello Adoke, Diezani Alison-Madueke, Abubakar Aliyu and others involved in the Malabu scandal through his letters to former President Muhammadu Buhari on the grounds of lack of significant evidence to prove allegations of sharp practices against prominent players in OPL 245 oil deal,” among others.
The charges against the previous AGF, HEDA emphasised, were too severe to be disregarded or allowed to pass without further inquiry.
Calls to Dr Umar Gwandu, the Special Assistant to Malami on Media, did not connect, and as of the time this story was filed, a text message sent to him had not received a response.
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