BREAKING: Nnamdi Kanu, Malami Vows To Defend Myself In Court
The office of a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has accused security agencies of actions it said were aimed at frustrating his constitutional right to fair hearing and effective legal defence.
In a statement issued on Saturday morning by his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, Malami’s office expressed concern over what it described as a pattern of conduct by state agencies following charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to the statement, although the Federal High Court granted Malami bail, the EFCC allegedly delayed the submission of his international passports to the court for about one week, despite the passports being a key condition for the perfection of bail.
The office claimed that the delay prolonged Malami’s detention and obstructed the execution of what it described as a valid court order.
The statement further alleged that immediately after Malami perfected his bail and was released from the Kuje Custodial Centre, he was rearrested by the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to his aides, Malami was detained for five days without access to his lawyers or family members and was only allowed to meet his legal team on Friday after what they described as prolonged isolation.
The office described the detention as a violation of his fundamental human rights.
Malami’s camp said the detention occurred at a critical stage when he was required to prepare his defence in an EFCC interim forfeiture proceeding before the Federal High Court.
It argued that denying him access to legal counsel during this period impaired his ability to consult with his lawyers, prepare court filings and give instructions.
“This amounted to a clear frustration of due process,” the statement said.
The statement alleged that the sequence of events suggested a pattern where arrest precedes investigation, with evidence sought after detention.
It claimed that such an approach violated the rule of law and constitutionally guaranteed rights, accusing the DSS of adopting similar practices.
Malami’s office stressed that bail granted by a court must be respected, warning that no agency should undermine judicial orders through what it described as coordinated delays, rearrests or denial of access to legal representation.
“Mr. Malami remains ready to defend himself fully in court and in accordance with the law, and calls on all state institutions to respect court orders, constitutional guarantees, and the rule of law,” the statement added.
