A civic watchdog group, the Citizens Alliance for Rule of Law and Justice (CARoLJ), has condemned former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), over his latest criticism of the Bola Tinubu administration, describing his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as an act of “political desperation dressed in borrowed morality”.
In a press release issued in Kaduna on Sunday and signed by the group’s president, Aminu Jallo, CARoLJ stated Malami’s remarks accusing the present authorities of neglecting safety and plunging Nigerians into poverty usually are not solely ironic however deeply insulting to the intelligence of Nigerians who lived via “his era of constitutional vandalism and legal impunity”.
“Abubakar Malami presided over one of the darkest periods in Nigeria’s legal history. To hear him now speak of justice, equity, and national renewal is to witness a man attempting to whitewash a legacy drenched in disobedience of court orders, protection of corrupt political elites, and flagrant misuse of the instruments of state power,” Jallo stated.
Malami, who served as Minister of Justice from 2015 to 2023, formally introduced his defection to the ADC on Wednesday, stating that the social gathering gives a coalition to “rescue Nigeria from collapse”. He decried insecurity and {economic} hardship, notably in northern Nigeria, and accused the APC-led authorities of prioritising propaganda over governance.
But CARoLJ stated Malami’s sudden concern for nationwide struggling was “both cynical and dishonest,” pointing to a protracted report of coverage failures, compromised prosecutions, and judicial sabotage whereas he was in workplace. The group questioned Malami’s ethical standing to discuss nationwide decline, given what it described as his direct function in dismantling the very establishments Nigerians now battle to rebuild.
“Under Malami, the Federal Ministry of Justice became a political safe haven for the corrupt and a weapon against the vulnerable. He consistently ignored valid court rulings, frustrated landmark anti-corruption trials, and presided over a justice system that increasingly served the powerful at the expense of the people,” Jallo stated.
The group cited the controversial 2017 reinstatement of Abdulrasheed Maina, the previous chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, as certainly one of a number of instances the place Malami allegedly enabled impunity. Despite being on trial for large pension fraud, Maina was smuggled again into the civil service, reportedly with Malami’s data and backing.
“Malami owes Nigerians an explanation for how a fugitive facing corruption charges was not only reinstated but promoted. That scandal alone should permanently disqualify him from any public office,” Jallo stated.
CARoLJ additionally condemned the function Malami performed within the 2022 presidential pardon granted to 2 convicted ex-governors — Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and Jolly Nyame of Taraba State — who had been each jailed for stealing public funds. The controversial pardon was processed via Malami’s ministry and broadly condemned by civil society {groups}.
“While honest Nigerians were imprisoned for petty theft, Malami helped secure clemency for men convicted of looting billions. He cannot now pretend to be a champion of the poor,” Jallo acknowledged.
Beyond high-level corruption, the group alleged that Malami allowed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to turn out to be a political device, selectively concentrating on opponents of the federal government whereas shielding allies and loyalists.
Under his supervision, the fee was, in line with CARoLJ, “reduced to a shadow of itself — compromised, erratic, and often weaponised for vendettas”.
The group pointed to the irony of Malami’s selective justice, noting that whereas his ministry turned a blind eye to doubtful transactions involving his allies and household, it aggressively pursued whistleblowers and activists.
“It was during Malami’s tenure that the EFCC lost its moral compass. Investigations were stalled, evidence disappeared, and known associates of the former minister were immune from scrutiny,” Jallo stated.
“Malami failed to act on reports indicting senior government figures — and yet, he never hesitated to file charges against voices critical of his actions. He made a mockery of justice.”
CARoLJ additional criticised the asset restoration regime beneath Malami’s watch, describing it as a “spectacle without substance” and alleging that billions in recovered funds had been both mismanaged or mysteriously unaccounted for.
“The so-called asset recovery framework championed by Malami was a farce. Nigerians were shown figures but never the trail. There was no transparency. The process became an avenue for self-enrichment and patronage. His office operated more like a political vault than a justice ministry,” Jallo alleged.
According to the group, public suspicion round Malami’s stewardship of recovered belongings solely deepened when stories surfaced suggesting a sudden accumulation of unexplained wealth amongst his shut associates — together with members of his fast household.
The group described as “morally offensive” the general public shows of opulence by members of Malami’s household whereas the nation grappled with deepening poverty.
