By ANGELA ATABO

A Northern interest group, Arewa for Good Governance, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to comply with the court order directing the release of the detained former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

The trial judge Bello Kawu had on Dec. 23 granted bail to Malami, who is in custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over money laundering and suspicious wealth accumulation charges.

The President of the group, Yusuf Abdullahi, in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, urged the EFCC chairman, Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede, to show professionalism and do the needful by honouring and obeying the court order granted to Malami.

Abdullahi recalled that Malami had been in the EFCC custody based on invitation since on the Dec. 8, 2025.

According to him, since then the EFCC has yet to release him neither brief the public on his detention and outcome.

“Earlier, the EFCC approached the Federal high court Abuja seeking two weeks order for his detention ahead of further investigation, which was granted and obeyed.

“But same EFCC is refusing to honour and obey another competence court of jurisdiction for granting the Ex minister Abubakar Malami, bail,” he said

It was recalled that judge S.C. Oriji of the FCT High Court in Abuja had on Dec. 10, ordered the remand of Malami in EFCC custody for a 14-day period pending investigation.

Despite this, Malami’s lawyers had filed an ex-parte bail application before another judge Bello Kawu who granted Malami bail on Dec. 23 on the grounds that Malami was lawfully detained.

The EFCC had filed 16 counts against Malami, his son, Abubakar Malami, and Bashir Asabe, an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd.

The charges include money laundering, concealment, and unlawful acquisition of proceeds of illegal activity. (NAN)