The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied receiving any court order for the release of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, in his N8.7 billion alleged money laundering case.
EFCC lead counsel, Chief Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, SAN, clarified on Wednesday that neither the agency nor his law firm had been served any bail order, despite claims circulating on social media.
Okutepa explained that Malami’s legal team cited an ex parte court order to accuse EFCC of illegal detention. “For the avoidance of doubt, I state categorically on my honour that as of the time of this statement, no court order has ever been served on my law firm or the EFCC,” he said, adding that existing court orders remain valid.
The lawyer recalled that Justice S.C. Oriji ordered Malami remanded in EFCC custody on December 10, 2025, while a fresh bail application was dismissed by Justice Babaginda Hassan on December 18.
Okutepa emphasized that Malami is being lawfully detained and that any claim of bail without notifying EFCC would constitute a “gross abuse of the court process.”