By Francis Ajuonuma
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied that its investigation of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, is politically motivated, insisting that the probe is purely professional and non-partisan.
EFCC Chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede, clarified in an exclusive interview with Channels Television that the anti-graft agency was not targeting Malami because of his political affiliation.
According to Olukoyede, the investigation into the former justice minister predated his appointment as EFCC chairman, stressing that he merely inherited the case file from his predecessors.
“Let me tell you about that particular former attorney-general that you are talking about. There is nothing personal in this matter. If Nigeria is to move forward, all of us must agree that this fight must be fought without being partisan, and that’s what I want Nigerians to understand and to agree with us,” he said during the interview aired on Sunday Politics.
He explained that his involvement in the case was limited to ensuring the investigation was conducted thoroughly and professionally, adding that the commission had been careful not to rush to court without sufficient evidence.
Olukoyede disclosed that Malami has been under investigation for nearly two and a half years, noting that the EFCC deliberately took time to establish the alleged offences before considering prosecution.
“He has been under investigation for almost two and a half years. The file was opened by someone else, not even me. I inherited it, and for the past two years I’ve been in office, we’ve been painstakingly carrying out the investigation, trying to establish some of these offences and all of that,” he said.
The EFCC chairman dismissed claims of persecution, insisting that the commission only proceeds to court when it is convinced that a case is watertight.
He also explained that investigations involving politically exposed persons often take longer due to legal complexities, especially when assets or funds are traced to foreign jurisdictions.
Olukoyede maintained that allegations of bias against the EFCC are unfounded, reiterating that the agency’s mandate is to fight corruption without regard to political party, status or influence.
