A former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has dismissed allegations linking him to terrorism financing, describing the claims as baseless, misleading and politically motivated.
Malami said his attention was drawn to a recent publication which insinuated that he and some other individuals had links to persons described as terror suspects or alleged financiers.
In a statement issued on Friday, the former Justice Minister said the allegations were unfounded and contrary to his record in public office.
“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,” Malami said.
He explained that even the retired military officer quoted as the main source in the publication had admitted that he was not accusing him or other named persons of financing terrorism.
According to Malami, the officer’s comments were limited to claims that some suspects allegedly had vague business or institutional relationships with various individuals, a point he said was deliberately misrepresented through misleading headlines and framing.
“That important clarification was unfortunately overshadowed by a headline capable of misleading the public and was subsequently exploited by political opponents to create mischievous insinuations,” he added.
Malami stressed that terrorism financing is a serious crime and warned against associating individuals with such offences without credible evidence and due process.
“To suggest that lawful professional or institutional engagements can, without more, be read as evidence of terrorism financing is both mischievous and unjust,” he said.
The former Attorney-General also highlighted reforms undertaken during his tenure, including the establishment of an independent Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, the enactment of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
He noted that the reforms strengthened coordination among relevant agencies and contributed to Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.
Malami urged media organisations to exercise caution and responsibility in reporting issues related to national security, warning that careless reports could damage reputations and undermine public trust.
He reaffirmed his commitment to the rule of law and Nigeria’s international obligations, adding that he reserves the right to seek legal redress over any publication that misrepresents his role or actions.
