The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been commended for what a civil rights organisation described as a rights-based approach in the arrest and detention of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) said Malami was treated more humanely compared to the experience of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, who was reportedly abducted, rough-handled and renditioned to Nigeria in handcuffs from Nairobi, Kenya.
In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group said Malami should be grateful that “the EFCC respected his dignity by inviting him like s gentleman before he was detained unlike how the same EFCC invaded the Asokoro family home of the former minister of Labour and Employment Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige and whisked him off to their fortified detention facility in Abuja in his night pyjamas without even given heed to his constitutionally guaranteed right to his human dignity as enshrined in the chapter 4 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999, as amended.”
HURIWA condemned the alleged arrest of Ngige in his pyjamas, describing it as a discriminatory pattern in the arrest of Igbo former public office holders when compared to others from different ethnic groups, including “former governor of Kogi state Bello and former minister of justice Malami, SAN who were taken into detention humanely by EFCC.”
The group also recalled the alleged invasion of the Maitama residence of former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, claiming that EFCC operatives entered the house through the roof and arrested him late at night.
According to HURIWA, Malami should “bear his self-inflicted ordeals in the hands of the law enforcement agency that he as a minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari (allegedly) misused to witch-hunt others, and be appreciative to EFCC for not given him the ‘IGBO TREATMENTS’ that EFCC gave to two former Igbo governors in the person of Ngige and Rochas Okorocha.”
The rights group noted that Malami had complained about the circumstances surrounding his continued detention by the EFCC, despite voluntarily presenting himself to the commission on Monday.
Malami is being interrogated over several allegations, including terrorism financing, ownership of 46 bank accounts, the engagement of multiple legal representatives in the recovery of the $322.5 million Abacha loot, and the utilisation of funds released under the conditional cash transfer programme.
He reportedly stated that he was detained without being given any specific reason, other than being informed that his earlier administrative bail had been revoked, despite not violating its terms.
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, Malami said he had been issued fresh bail conditions, which he was ready to fulfil once the EFCC authorises him to do so.
The former minister also denied the allegations of terrorism financing and ownership of 46 bank accounts, describing them as “false, misleading and baseless.”
HURIWA criticised Malami for complaining about his treatment, insisting that he was handled with dignity.
“Malami should be man enough to eat the same bad meal that he prepared for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” the group said.
However, the organisation urged the anti-graft agency to uphold constitutional provisions and refrain from maltreating suspects.
“EFCC as a creation of the law must be law abiding and must operate in total compliance to the human rights provisions enshrined in chapter 4 of the constitution which are enforceable, and the operatives of the anti-graft agency shouldn’t create discriminatory methodology for arresting former public office holders of Igbo ethnic nationality as against how all others are arrested because all citizens are equal before the law,” HURIWA added.
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