Alleged CJN Probe: Malami Warns EFCC Against Demeaning His Office
The Attorney-general of the federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, has fumed over allegations his office leaked to the public the list of those being allegedly probed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Miffed by the allegation, Malami warned EFCC against ridiculing his office, saying he would not allow his office to be “dragged into petty squabbles” in equally saying the CJN Onnoghen is under any probe. The Chief justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen; former governor of Akwa Ibom state, Godswill Akpabio; minister of mines and steel, Kayode Fayemi and the former minister of finance under Goodluck Jonathan, Ngozi Okonjo-Iwala were rumoured to be among those on the proposed probe list by EFCC.
A statement by Salihu Othman Isah, media aide to the minister, Malami debunked ever making the list public.
Othman stated: “The honourable attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice wishes to express his displeasure over the unfortunate and unbecoming innuendo by certain persons and agencies which sought to accuse his office of leaking what was termed as classified information to the public.”
“This office, therefore, wishes to state categorically, but with absolute repudiation, that it did not at any time leak such information to the media as wrongly alluded by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“The pertinent question to ask is since the EFCC has publicly denied that the honourable chief justice of Nigeria is not under probe or investigation; is it then possible for the same EFCC to have forwarded any classified information on a non-existent probe or investigation of the Honourable CJN to the honourable attorney-general of the federation?
“It also goes to show that the office of the honourable attorney-general of the federation could not have leaked a non-existent classified information on an equally non-existent probe or investigation.”
“We therefore use this opportunity to reaffirm our deep respect for the distinguished person and office of the honourable chief justice of Nigeria.”
“We wish to state unequivocally that the office of the honourable attorney-general of the federation will continue to collaborate with his lordship in his efforts to reform the judiciary and galvanise the anti-graft war.
“Indeed, the present administration appreciates his lordship for his unwavering support for its anti-corruption drive. We wish to state further that we are neither aware of nor privy to any purported probe or ongoing investigation of the honourable chief justice of Nigeria by any security or anti-graft agency.
“The office of the honourable attorney-general of the federation dissociates itself from the baseless allusion or suggestion obviously made in bad faith to the effect that his lordship is under any form of probe or investigation whatsoever.”
