Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, has expressed serious concerns regarding his current treatment in custody. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria is alleging that his continued detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) is a direct violation of his constitutional rights, specifically following his recent rearrest.
According to a statement from his media representative, Bello Muhammed Doka, the former minister was taken back into custody despite having already fulfilled the bail requirements previously established by a court. Okay News reports that Malami’s legal team has been consistently denied access to their client for more than five days, a move his aides argue is preventing him from preparing a proper defense against new allegations.
The latest friction with security agencies reportedly stems from a new investigation involving the temporary seizure of assets. Malami’s camp contends that the sequence of events is legally flawed, as they claim his arrest occurred before any formal investigations were finalized. They argue that this practice ignores the constitutional principle that assumes a person is innocent until proven guilty.
A major point of disagreement involves the handling of the former minister’s international passport. While the court had originally ordered that his travel documents be handed over as part of his bail terms, the current detention has reportedly stalled the entire legal process. His representatives are now calling for the immediate release of necessary documents to allow him to face his charges in a proper court setting.
Malami’s team further claimed that the tactics currently being used by the DSS mirror previous difficulties they faced with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). They alleged that there is a recurring pattern where security agencies use fresh arrests to bypass bail orders already granted by judges, which they say effectively denies the former official a chance at a speedy trial.
In a formal appeal, the former minister’s office urged the DSS to live up to its reputation as a responsible government body that respects the law. The statement emphasized that blocking a suspect from meeting with their lawyers is a serious infringement on the right to a fair hearing. They have requested that the agency immediately allow his legal team to visit him so the judicial process can move forward without further delay.
