Salami Report : Malami Accuses EFCC Chairman Of Personal Vendetta, Demands Immediate Recusal Over Alleged Bias And Rights Abuses
By Passman Akpos
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has formally demanded the immediate recusal of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from all matters relating to him, citing alleged bias, constitutional breaches, and a long-standing conflict rooted in the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry Report.
In a strongly worded press release issued by his office on Wednesday, Malami described the EFCC Chairman’s continued involvement in investigations concerning him as “legally untenable, morally indefensible, and constitutionally impermissible.”
The statement, signed by Mohammed Bello Doka, Special Assistant on Media to Malami, focuses on Chapter 9 of the Salami Report, which examined the conduct and accountability of senior officials of the EFCC. According to the release, Malami, while serving as Attorney-General, supervised the establishment of the Salami-led Commission to probe allegations of corruption and abuse of office within the EFCC.
At the time, the current EFCC Chairman served as Secretary to the Commission, a role which, the statement argues, exposed him to scrutiny and potential professional consequences arising from the report’s findings.
“Chapter 9 of the Salami Report speaks directly to institutional accountability and created personal and professional exposure for certain individuals who are today exercising prosecutorial power over the very Attorney-General to whom the report was submitted,” the statement said.
Malami’s office contends that, viewed within this context, the EFCC’s current actions against him amount to “retaliatory persecution driven by historical animosity and personal vendetta,” rather than impartial law enforcement.
Call For Mandatory Recusal
Relying on established principles of law, the statement stressed that recusal is mandatory where there is a reasonable apprehension of bias, regardless of whether actual malice can be proven.
“No person is permitted to sit in judgment over a matter in which they have a personal interest or prior exposure,” the statement noted, adding that any reasonable observer aware of the Salami Report would doubt the possibility of an impartial investigation under the present EFCC leadership.
Alleged Human Rights Violations
The release further accused the EFCC of violating Malami’s fundamental rights, including the right to personal liberty under Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution and the right to fair hearing under Section 36. It also decried what it described as a “sustained trial by media” through selective leaks and public commentary aimed at securing public condemnation before judicial determination.
According to Malami’s office, such actions undermine not only his constitutional rights but also the credibility of Nigeria’s anti-corruption institutions.
From Accountability To Vendetta
The statement alleged a consistent pattern of conduct by the EFCC, including harassment without timely arraignment, media trials without due process, and attempts to criminalise lawful policy decisions taken while Malami was in office.
“This conduct confirms a shift from institutional accountability to the settlement of personal scores and grievances under the guise of law enforcement,” it said.
Demands And Position
Malami reiterated his willingness to submit to a neutral and independent investigative process and insisted that any allegations against him should be tested only before a court of competent jurisdiction. He also rejected what he described as intimidation, political settlements, or compromise.
The statement outlined three key demands:
1. The immediate recusal of the EFCC Chairman from all matters relating to Abubakar Malami, SAN;
2. The intervention of the Attorney-General of the Federation to transfer the matter to a neutral and independent investigative authority;
3. The prompt filing of charges, if any, before a competent court, where evidence would determine the outcome.
“A Constitutional Issue”
Concluding the statement, Malami’s office warned that allowing the EFCC to operate as an instrument for settling personal grievances would endanger the rule of law.
“This is not a personal dispute; it is a constitutional issue,” the statement said, adding that Malami would continue to insist on justice based on due process and the rule of law, “not persecution by power.”
