Abubakar Malami, a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of defying a subsisting court order granting him bail, alleging unlawful detention and what he described as a sustained “trial by media.”

In a statement issued on Wednesday by Mohammed Doka, his media aide, Malami said the anti-graft agency refused to comply with a valid order of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, which admitted him to bail after he had fulfilled all the stipulated conditions.

According to the statement, the FCT High Court, on December 23, 2025, granted Malami interim bail in a matter involving the EFCC, following arguments from both parties.

The court was said to have found that the former Attorney-General met the bail requirements and subsequently ordered his release pending further proceedings, adjourning the case to a date in January.

However, Malami’s camp alleged that despite being formally served with the court order, officials of the EFCC declined to accept the bail documents and allegedly turned away the court bailiff, insisting on keeping him in custody.

The statement further claimed that Malami has now spent more than 14 days in detention without being arraigned before any court of competent jurisdiction, a situation his legal team described as unconstitutional, oppressive and a violation of his fundamental rights.

The former justice minister also accused the EFCC of engaging in selective media briefings intended to influence public perception against him.

He described the alleged media engagements as an attempt to conduct a “media trial” after, according to him, the agency failed to secure judicial backing for its actions.

“Court orders are not advisory. They are binding on all authorities,” the statement noted, warning that selective compliance with judicial decisions poses a serious threat to the rule of law and democratic governance.

Malami reiterated his willingness to submit himself fully to due process and to have any allegations against him determined by a court of law.

However, he rejected what he termed “trial by detention, trial by media, and trial by political vendetta,” insisting that such actions have no place in a constitutional democracy.

The statement called on the judiciary and relevant oversight institutions to urgently take note of the alleged contempt of court and ensure that those responsible are held accountable in order to safeguard the integrity of the justice system. (BusinessDay)

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