The visit of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 election, to Abubakar Malami, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), has sparked controversy, particularly in the South-East, according to WITHIN NIGERIA.
A video obtained by WITHIN NIGERIA showed Obi visiting the former AGF on Tuesday, just after Malami was released after days in detention on corruption charges.
On Friday, March 13, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted bail to Malami, his wife, and their son in the EFCC’s ongoing N9 billion money laundering trial.
Recall that Malami, the former Justice Minister, is being charged alongside his wife and son on a 16-count indictment related to alleged money laundering.
Although Malami Abubakar, former AGF, was granted bail on Friday, he was released from Kuje Prison after meeting all of the court’s bail requirements, and the trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, ordered his release from detention.
Reliable sources told WITHIN NIGERIA that Obi’s visit to Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice during the prosecution and extraordinary rendition of the imprisoned leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya in 2021, has angered some of Nnamdi Kanu’s supporters and core Biafra supporters.
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that Malami was the first person to announce that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) was intercepted through the collaborative efforts of the Nigerian intelligence and Security Services” and consequently extradited to Nigeria.
Malami, while speaking at a press conference held on June 29, 2021, narrated the steps taken by the Nigerian Government led to the interception of the “fugitive Kanu” on Sunday, June 27, 2021.
In a phone interview with WITHIN NIGERIA, activist Ofia Chukwu of Enugu voiced his concerns about Obi’s visitation to former minister Abubakar Malami, who was charged with embezzling and misusing public monies.
“Obi has consistently maintained that Nigeria’s underdevelopment stems from corruption. He denounced corruption and misappropriation of public finances during Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, in which Malami Abubakar played a significant role”.
He added that the same Obi recently visited Malami, who was reminded of corrupt behaviors by a judge, and he is also denouncing corruption under the Tinubu-led government, according to a pretty concerned Ofia”.
Another Biafran, Sofia Nnaji, expressed her disgust with Obi’s visit to Abubakar Malami, the Federation’s former Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
Nnaji alleges that as soon as Obi entered Malami’s home—who had been held on remand owing to corruption allegations—he violated both his conscience and the faith of those who relied on his testimony.
Nnaji claimed Obi had criticized Buhari’s administration for focusing too much on anti-corruption rhetoric rather than enacting rules to prevent financial leaks and guarantee funding reach intended projects.
“Malami was the ringleader of Buhari’s crew that set Nnamdi Kanu up in his current condition. The same Malami is being tried in court for embezzling state monies. Obi is associated with such a person. “It’s confusing.”
