In a petition dated December 24, 2025, and addressed to the EFCC Chairman in Abuja, ALDRAP anchored its request on the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, particularly Section 167(1), which outlines the criteria for persons eligible to stand as sureties in criminal proceedings.
A civil society group, the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP), has formally petitioned the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), requesting the disqualification of the Director-General of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria as one of the two sureties for former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
In a petition dated December 24, 2025, and addressed to the EFCC Chairman in Abuja, ALDRAP anchored its request on the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, particularly Section 167(1), which outlines the criteria for persons eligible to stand as sureties in criminal proceedings.
The group, in the petition signed by its Secretary, Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, argued that the Director-General of the Legal Aid Council does not meet the statutory requirements to serve as a surety, citing the Council’s performance in the 2024 Anti-Corruption Index released by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
According to the petition, the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria was listed among federal government agencies that scored zero percent (0%) in the ICPC’s 2024 ethics and integrity assessment.
“You can verify this by cross-checking with the Chairman of the ICPC who has just published a list of federal government agencies that scored zero percent in the anti-corruption index of the year 2024,” the group stated.
ALDRAP maintained that the zero percent rating raises serious questions about the integrity and suitability of the Director-General to act as a surety for Malami, who is reportedly undergoing investigation and prosecution over alleged corruption-related offences.
“The implication is that such a person who refused to comply with the ICPC anti-corruption index is not fit and proper to stand as surety for Malami who is himself undergoing investigation and prosecution for corruption,” the group added.
The group also restated its mandate, noting that ALDRAP was incorporated under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) in 2017 and is committed to ensuring that individuals and institutions comply with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and other relevant laws.
The group expressed confidence that the EFCC would give the request prompt and positive consideration.
Charges Against Malami
Earlier on Wednesday, SaharaReporters reported that Malami had been slammed with 16 criminal counts bordering on money laundering, conspiracy, and unlawful acquisition of assets, with prosecutors alleging that no fewer than 30 high-value properties worth about ₦212.8 billion were acquired through proceeds of unlawful activities.
Court documents show that the Nigerian government filed multiple money laundering charges against Malami, his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and an associate, Hajia Bashir Asabe, over alleged illicit financial transactions spanning several years.
The charges, filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja, accuse Malami, alongside Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami and other alleged accomplices, of using corporate fronts and proxies, particularly Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited, Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, and Meethaq Hotels Limited, to conceal, retain, disguise and convert illicit funds while he served as Nigeria’s chief law officer.
According to the court documents seen by SaharaReporters, the alleged offences span nearly a decade, from 2015 to 2025, cutting across Malami’s tenure as Attorney-General of the Federation and beyond.
According to the charges, Malami and his son allegedly used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of ₦1,014,848,500 lodged in Sterling Bank Plc account number 0079182387 between July 2022 and June 2025. Prosecutors said the defendants ought to have known that the funds were proceeds of illegal activities.
The government further alleged that between September 2020 and February 2021, while Malami was serving as Attorney-General, the defendants similarly concealed ₦600,013,460.40 through the same Sterling Bank account using Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited.
In another count, Malami and his son were accused of retaining ₦600 million as cash collateral through Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited in March 2021 to secure a ₦500 million loan granted by Sterling Bank to Rayhaan Hotels Limited, despite allegedly knowing that the funds were of unlawful origin.
The charges also allege that in November 2022, Malami, his son, and Hajia Bashir Asabe disguised the source of ₦500 million paid to Efab Properties Limited for the purchase of a luxury duplex located at Amazon Street, Plot 3011, Cadastral Zone A06, Maitama, Abuja.
The defendants were accused of conspiring to conceal the origin of ₦1,049,173,926.13 paid through Meethaq Hotels Limited’s Union Bank Plc savings account number 0179011105 between November 2022 and September 2024.
Prosecutors further alleged that between November 2022 and October 2025, Malami and his son indirectly took control of an additional ₦1,362,887,872.96 through the same Meethaq Hotels account, knowing the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities.
The charge sheet also details several property acquisitions allegedly funded with illicit proceeds.
These include ₦700 million paid between November and December 2018 for the purchase of No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki, Abuja; ₦850 million paid between September and December 2020 for Plot 683, Jabi District, Cadastral Zone B04; and ₦430 million paid in February 2018 for No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja.
Prosecutors further alleged that Malami and his associate concealed the origin of ₦210 million paid in February 2018 for a property at No. 3130, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, Abuja.
Between March and June 2021, Malami was accused of disguising ₦325 million used to acquire property at No. 1241B Asokoro District, also known as No. 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro. Another charge alleges that between November 2015 and January 2016, ₦120 million was concealed and used to purchase a property at No. 27 Efab Estate, 5th Avenue, 59th Crescent, Gwarimpa, Abuja.
The government further alleged that in November 2022, Malami, his son, and Hajia Bashir Asabe conspired to conceal the unlawful origin of funds used to acquire the luxury duplex at Amazon Street, Maitama.
Additionally, prosecutors accused Malami, Hajia Bashir Asabe, and others still at large of conspiring between December 2016 and April 2022 to indirectly acquire multiple landed properties for Malami using proceeds of unlawful activities.
The charge sheet also lists ₦537 million allegedly concealed between June 2022 and January 2023 and used to purchase properties located at No. 26 Babbi Street, BUA Estate, Abuja; a four-bedroom bungalow at Guesse 2, Birnin Kebbi; and No. 4 Ahmadu Bello Way, Nassarawa GRA, Kano.
Finally, Malami was accused of concealing ₦415 million between October 2018 and December 2021 to acquire multiple properties, including No. 28 Bagudu Kaltio Crescent, Gwarimpa, Abuja; Plot 13, Ipent 7 Estate, Abuja; a plaza and related commercial facilities near Birnin Kebbi Market; 100 hectares of land along Birnin Kebbi–Jeba Road; and Plot 157 Lamido Crescent, Nassarawa Road GRA, Kano.
All the alleged acts are said to violate provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended) and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.