HEDA Accuses Former Attorney-General of Diverting Public Attention
In a scathing rebuke of Nigeria’s former chief law officer, the anti-corruption group HEDA Resource Centre has called out Abubakar Malami, SAN, for what it describes as a calculated attempt to derail his ongoing corruption probe. The organization, through its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, issued a formal statement on December 21, 2025, asserting that Malami’s recent public demands are a tactical smokescreen designed to distract from the substantive allegations of abuse of office and financial impropriety currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The friction reached a boiling point after Malami formally petitioned for the Chairman of the anti-graft agency to recuse himself from the investigation, citing claims of personal vendetta and political persecution. HEDA has dismissed these assertions as baseless, urging the former Attorney-General to submit to the lawful process rather than deploying “persecution” narratives to win public sympathy.
A central pillar of HEDA’s accusation involves Malami’s handling of the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry. During his tenure, Malami oversaw the panel tasked with investigating the previous leadership of the anti-graft agency. Despite intense public interest and multiple Freedom of Information requests, the final report was never gazetted or officially released to the public.
HEDA contends that this continued secrecy raises grave concerns regarding the credibility of the panel’s findings. The group argues that the commission appears to have been a tool for institutional targeting rather than reform. To support this claim, Suraju pointed out that several high-ranking officials allegedly indicted by the panel have since achieved notable professional milestones, including honorable retirements from the police force and appointments as presidential advisers, casting further doubt on the validity of the original accusations.
READ ALSO: Senate Mounts Pressure on FG Amid Deepening Tax Reform Dispute
The civil society organization further alleged that the Salami panel was strategically utilized to remove key officials who resisted Malami’s perceived interference in prosecutorial matters. HEDA recalled previous legal battles where the Federal High Court in Lagos nullified asset management guidelines issued by Malami, declaring them an illegal overreach of his powers.
By failing to release the Salami report while simultaneously citing it to claim bias in his current trial, HEDA argues that Malami is engaging in a contradictory legal defense. The group maintains that the former minister must account for eighteen specific alleged offenses, which reportedly include terrorism financing and the mismanagement of recovered assets, without further attempts to undermine the integrity of the nation’s anti-corruption architecture.
HEDA emphasized that the rule of law must remain supreme, regardless of the status of the individual under investigation. The group noted that accountability must take precedence over personal grievances, especially for an official who once held the highest legal office in the land. The organization concluded that the ongoing investigation should be allowed to proceed unhindered to ensure that the public’s trust in the justice system is restored. For more information, I recommend Songbuxnews.
- Pastor Donnie McClurkin Breaks Silence, Flatly Denies Sexual Assault Lawsuit
- It’s Double Joy! Adekunle Gold, Simi Welcome Twins
- Indigenous Oil Firm AA Rano Launches Nigeria’s First Automated Fuel Stations
- Zamfara APC E-Registration: What Aminu Jaji Said About Matawalle, Yari
- Nigerian opposition politics: ADC Is Way Forward 2027 Election, Atiku Declares