Former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, SAN, firmly denied a report linking him to terrorism financing, insisting the claim is politically motivated and unfounded.
Malami stated he has never been investigated for terrorism financing, arguing that the report distorted the fact that suspects may have had “lawful professional or institutional engagements” with various people.
However, the report noted that Malami was recently questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over unrelated matters.
Former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has vehemently denied a report linking him to terrorism financing, asserting that the claim is politically motivated and completely unfounded.
In a detailed statement, Malami insisted that his professional engagements were always lawful and that he has never been subjected to any official scrutiny regarding terrorism financing, either domestically or abroad.
“At no point in my public life during or after my tenure has, he been summoned, questioned, targeted or investigated by any security, regulatory or intelligence authority in Nigeria or abroad in relation to terrorism financing,” he said.
Malami argued that the original report was twisted by political opponents. He explained that a retired military officer merely noted that unnamed terror suspects had “institutional” or “business” dealings with various persons, which Malami said was distorted into an allegation of complicity.
“I state clearly and unequivocally that I have never at any time been accused, invited, interrogated, investigated or charged by any security, law-enforcement, regulatory or intelligence agency within or outside Nigeria in respect of terrorism financing or any related offence,” he affirmed.
He maintained that: “To suggest that lawful professional or institutional engagements can, without more, be read as evidence of terrorism financing is both mischievous and unjust.”
The former AGF added that Nigerians must be able to differentiate fact from political manipulation
