A former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has vehemently rejected allegations linking him to terrorism financing, following a report by SaharaReporters that named him among Nigerians allegedly connected to terror financiers.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

The report, published on Friday, claimed that two suspects arrested in a counter-terrorism investigation were “linked to” Malami and other prominent Nigerians.

In a statement shared on his Facebook page, Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), denied any involvement in terrorism financing. He emphasised that neither Nigerian nor international agencies have ever accused, investigated, or charged him in connection with terrorism financing.

“The retired military officer cited as the principal source did not accuse me of any wrongdoing,” Malami said, clarifying that the report misrepresented his role.

While Malami was never personally accused of any terrorism-related activities, his role during the Muhammadu Buhari administration has come under scrutiny. His tenure as AGF was marked by criticism over the government’s alleged concealment of the identities of high-profile terrorism financiers.

In May 2021, Malami publicly announced that investigations had revealed the involvement of many highly placed Nigerians and businessmen in terrorism financing. He assured the public that these financiers were being profiled for prosecution.

“We shall certainly and aggressively pursue those people that are involved in terrorist financing as far as the Nigerian State is concerned,” Malami had said.

However, despite these assurances, the identities of the suspects remained undisclosed, and the promised prosecutions were not publicly known to have taken place before the administration ended in May 2023.
Malami’s EFCC Questioning And Denial Of Mismanagement Claims

The allegations against Malami come amidst reports of his recent questioning by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged mismanagement of national funds, including portions of the Abacha loot.

Malami was invited for questioning on November 28, 2025, and was later released on administrative bail. He denied the allegations and has not been charged with any crime related to the EFCC investigation.

In defense of his record, Malami pointed to his role in strengthening Nigeria’s anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CFT) framework during his tenure.

He highlighted his involvement in the passage and implementation of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which he said bolstered Nigeria’s legal regime against terrorism and updated penalties for terrorism-related offenses.

“These reforms were later assessed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and contributed to Nigeria’s removal from the FATF ‘grey list’ of jurisdictions under increased monitoring,” Malami stated, stressing that the reforms confirmed Nigeria’s compliance with global AML/CFT standards.

Malami urged media outlets to engage in responsible reporting on national security issues, reiterating his commitment to the rule of law and justice. He expressed concern over the potential damage caused by such allegations, stressing that his engagement with various stakeholders in his public capacity does not imply criminal involvement.

“Independent international evaluations of that nature are entirely inconsistent with any suggestion that those leading such reforms were, at the same time, colluding with or protecting terror financiers,” he stated.

The former AGF concluded by urging the media to avoid damaging reputations and undermining public confidence in state institutions.

He reaffirmed his dedication to strengthening Nigeria’s justice and security institutions, emphasizing that any engagement with stakeholders during his time in office was in line with his duties and did not suggest criminality.