The former southeast spokesman to President Bola Tinubu and Chairman of forum of former members of Enugu Assembly, Denge.Josef Onoh, had strongly defended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigation of the former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister for Justice, Malam Abubakar Malami.
In a statement from his residence in Marne-la-Vallée Paris, Onoh said the current investigation by the EFCC was no witch-hunt or politically motivated.
Onoh, while recalling Abubakar Malami’s background prior to his appointment as AGF in 2015, said that his career was primarily that of a dedicated legal practitioner and politician from Kebbi State.
Born on April 17, 1967, in Birnin Kebbi, Malami received a solid education, blending Islamic and Western systems, culminating in an LL.B from Usmanu Danfodiyo University (1991), and was subsequently admitted into the Nigerian Bar (1992), and elevated to Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2008.
Onoh further said that Malami’s professional career centered on private legal practice, including roles at firms such as K.T. Turaki & Co., as a magistrate and state counsel in Kebbi, and as principal partner of A.A. Malami & Co. (2002–2015), a litigation-focused chambers handling civil, criminal, and commercial cases without any record of massive financial payoffs from successful litigations.
He recalled that Malami was also actively involved in opposition politics, serving as National Legal Adviser to the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), contributing to the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013, and contesting (unsuccessfully) the APC governorship ticket in Kebbi in 2014.
“I therefore challenge Malami to make public his asset declaration prior to 2015,” Onoh challenged.
Onoh said that there are no credible public records of Malami owning or operating substantial private businesses—such as hotels, universities, rice mills, or large-scale investments—before his appointment as AGF.
“His pre-2015 wealth and income appear tied exclusively to his successful legal practice and modest public service roles. He established philanthropic foundations like the Kadi Malami and Khadimiyya Foundations for community development, but these were charitable, not commercial ventures and this was the Abubakar Malami I know.
“However, after serving as AGF from 2015 to 2023, Malami has been linked to an extensive portfolio of high-value assets, including the multi-billion naira Azbir Hotel and Azbir Arena in Birnin Kebbi (recently taken over by police amid probes), Rayhaan (or Rayhan) University, Rayhaan Rice Mill, private academies and multiple properties in Abuja, Kano, and Kebbi.
“These assets, estimated in petitions to the EFCC at over ₦10 billion, which I personally believe were underestimated, are alleged to be disproportionate to his known legitimate earnings before and during public office.”
Onoh said that this sudden accumulation of wealth, emerging prominently post-tenure, raises serious questions about its sources and legitimacy—questions that rightfully demand thorough investigation by the EFCC.
Onoh further stated that the ongoing EFCC probe, as of December 2025, focuses on allegations including abuse of office, money laundering, mismanagement of recovered Abacha loots (notably claims of duplication in recovering $310–$322.5 million tranches and questionable legal fees of up to $16.9 million paid to associates), and unexplained assets and not a witch-hunt.
“While he denies wrongdoing, describing the probe as politically motivated “witch-hunt” tied to his recent political activities, I make bold to say that Malami welds no strong political influence in kebbi state to warrant any witch-hunt by even a local government chairman in his state, let alone the EFCC and his calls for the EFCC Chairman’s recusal is simply laughable.
“His continuous reference to chapter 9 of the Justice Salami Report only shows the desperation of a drowning man, let me make clear to Malami that the said justice Salami Report was so beneficial to the progress of Nigeria yet he withheld it all these years and only now he thinks it serves his personal purpose that it becomes relevant.
“In a country like China, such revelation by Malami would have earned him a death sentence for sabotaging a nation. One can not come to a document and only accept a page that benefits him, you either accept as a whole or refuse as a whole. The petitions from credible groups like HEDA and others warrant independent scrutiny.”
Onoh challenged Malami to refute his narrative of his humble beginnings prior to his unexplainable wealth, which the EFCC in discharge of their mandate will soon explain which onoh said will be more explosive than Abacha’s loot.
Onoh furthermore said that the Malami he knew was actively engaged in politics, particularly with opposition parties leading to the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC):
“Malami was appointed Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice by late President Muhammadu Buhari, becoming the youngest minister in the cabinet at age 48. He was re-appointed in 2019 and served until May 2023.
“Prior to this role, the Malami I know was primarily a prominent private legal practitioner in Northern Nigeria, a senior advocate with public service experience, and an influential figure in opposition politics contributing to the APC’s formation.”
Onoh challenged Malami to provide any credible records indicate involvement in high-profile federal roles or Tax payments of a successful thriving business venture before 2015.
“Malami’s attempts to discredit the EFCC—alleging bias, vendetta, and intimidation—appear designed to deploy every resource at his disposal to blackmail and undermine the agency. As a former Chief law officer, he should submit fully to investigation rather than resist or deflect.”
Onoh said that his hypocrisy is stark when recalling Malami’s role in the controversial naira redesign policy of 2022–2023. Himself, late Gov.Rotimi Akredolu of blessed memory and Mallam Nasir El-Rufai (then Governor of Kaduna), were the only Governors that were bold to support his stand against naira design solely aimed at frustrating Bola Tinubu’s presidential ambition to the detriment of all Nigerians publicly opposed the policy, highlighting its devastating hardship on ordinary Nigerians, questionable timing ahead of elections, and potential political motivations.
“I recall El-Rufai described it as a mistake that deceived President Buhari and caused unnecessary suffering. I publicly attack the then CBN governor Godwin Emefiele (currently under investigation) and Malami especially for misleading Buhari into unconstitutional actions, such as bypassing consultations with the National Council of State or Federal Executive Council. I called the both “public enemies” for defending the policy amid public hardship. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled (March 3, 2023) the policy unconstitutional in parts, extending old notes’ validity to December 31, 2023, Yet same Malami vigorously defended it in court and publicly, even as the federal government under his legal advice disregarded Supreme Court interim orders suspending the deadline, leading to contempt threats and eventual ruling that parts were unconstitutional and criticizing late President Buhari’s unilateral directives.
“Later, the presidency (March 2023) stated that Buhari never instructed Malami or Emefiele to disobey court orders. This speaks volumes about the moral and professional character of the man that’s today accusing and blackmailing the EFCC and the Chairman of witch-hunt. He is safer under EFCC custody than at the mercy of Nigerians. Him and his convoy was attacked and nearly killed by the mob in his hometown resulting from the frustrations he subjected Nigerians under his watch while living in unearned opulence.
“Finally, as the custodian of the law tasked with recovering and protecting national assets—including billions in Abacha loots—Malami stands accused of re-looting or mismanaging the very funds he was mandated to safeguard. This betrayal of public trust is profound.
“Every right-thinking Nigerian must rise in defence of the EFCC. Allow the agency to perform its statutory duty without fear or favour. Corruption fights back fiercely, but accountability must prevail for Nigeria’s progress,” Onoh stated.
