Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of resorting to self-help by sealing his Abuja residence and other properties.
Malami, who spoke in Abuja on Tuesday, alleged that armed EFCC operatives stormed his Maitama home and evicted members of his family without a valid court order.
The former AGF described the action as unwarranted and a breach of due process, insisting it was improper for the commission to move against his property while the matter is pending before a court.
He said the affected property is the subject of an application he filed seeking to vacate an interim forfeiture order earlier granted by the court.
Malami noted that the Federal High Court in Abuja had fixed April 20 for hearing of the application, arguing that the EFCC ought to have awaited the court’s decision instead of taking unilateral action.
“It is settled practice within the judicial system that once a matter is before a court, no party should take steps capable of undermining the process,” he said.
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“Execution of court orders is the exclusive responsibility of court officials, including bailiffs and sheriffs, and not the prerogative of any party to the litigation.”
“So, what happened in the forceful eviction of my family members, forceful taking over of my properties and forceful invasion of these properties of mine are legally and judiciously unprecedented in Nigerian history and the Nigerian legal system,” Malami said.
The ex-AGF alleged that the EFCC’s decision to invade his properties and evict his family members was intended apparently to cause a situation of helplessness on the court that has already fixed the hearing of the application relating to the affected properties to April 20, 2026 for hearing.
He said it was not out of place for people to associate his current ordeal with his recent political involvements.
Malami said it was not strange that after he regained freedom after spending about 99 days in custody and was being visited people of goodwill, the EFCC decided to act the way it did.
He added: “So, the fact that these things happen at a time when I was receiving tremendous goodwill messages, solidarity visits and courtesies, can certainly be a basis for people to insinuate perhaps the political persecutions associated with the conduct of any Federal Government agency.
“So, people are free to insinuate those things and I think that those insinuations of political conduct cannot legitimately be misplaced.”
Malami urged the Federal Government and its agencies to exercise restraint and allow the court to decide cases pending before them rather than engage in self help.
