Malami Denies Terror Financing Link, Accuses Political Rivals Of Smear Campaign
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has firmly rejected reports that attempted to link him to terrorism financing, describing the claims as false, deceptive and driven by political mischief.
Malami stated that throughout his years in public service and beyond, he has never been subjected to any form of investigation or inquiry connected to terrorism or its funding.
“At no point in my public life during or after my tenure has, he been summoned, questioned, targeted or investigated by any security, regulatory or intelligence authority in Nigeria or abroad in relation to terrorism financing.”
He went further to issue another categorical denial: “I state clearly and unequivocally that I have never at any time been accused, invited, interrogated, investigated or charged by any security, law-enforcement, regulatory or intelligence agency within or outside Nigeria in respect of terrorism financing or any related offence.”
According to Malami, the controversy stemmed from remarks credited to a retired military officer, who only suggested that some unnamed terror suspects previously had “institutional” or “business” interactions with various individuals. He stressed that the officer never concluded that such interactions amounted to aiding terrorism.
“That important clarification was unfortunately overshadowed by a headline and framing capable of misleading well-meaning members of the public into drawing inaccurate and damaging conclusions.”
Malami accused political adversaries of latching onto the report and weaponising it to damage his reputation. He maintained that it is dishonest to twist legitimate professional dealings into allegations of terror sponsorship.
“To suggest that lawful professional or institutional engagements can, without more, be read as evidence of terrorism financing is both mischievous and unjust.”
Defending his time in office, Malami insisted that his tenure was marked by concrete efforts to reinforce Nigeria’s security and anti-terror financing architecture.
“During my tenure, I worked with domestic and international partners to strengthen not undermine Nigeria’s anti-terror-financing regime. Any attempt to recast this as complicity is politically motivated and devoid of evidentiary basis.”
He concluded by warning Nigerians against being swayed by politically coloured narratives presented as intelligence reports.
“Public discourse must differentiate between verified intelligence and politically massaged narratives presented as investigative findings.”
