Abubakar Malami, SAN, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, has formally rejected claims linking him to alleged terrorism financing, insisting that his professional activities have always been lawful.

In a statement released on Friday, December 6, 2025, Malami said that at no point in his public life — during or after his tenure — has he been summoned, questioned, targeted, or investigated by any Nigerian or international security, intelligence, or regulatory agency regarding terrorism financing.

He emphasized that references made by a retired military officer regarding “institutional” or “business” dealings with unnamed terror suspects did not implicate him directly and were misrepresented in media headlines.

Malami accused political opponents of hijacking the narrative to conduct a targeted smear campaign, asserting:

“To suggest that lawful professional or institutional engagements can, without more, be read as evidence of terrorism financing is both mischievous and unjust.”

He stressed that during his tenure, he collaborated with domestic and international partners to strengthen Nigeria’s anti-terror-financing frameworks and any suggestion otherwise is politically motivated and lacks evidence.

Malami had recently appeared before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for questioning on sundry issues and was granted bail after providing two permanent secretaries as guarantors. He stated his willingness to comply fully with EFCC’s invitation, emphasizing his commitment as a law-abiding citizen.

The former AGF has faced allegations of corruption and abuse of office, though he has not been formally charged. Reports by SaharaReporters previously highlighted controversies involving legal contracts and payments, including the disbursement of $159 million in legal fees to Dr. Ted Iseghahi Edwards, who was previously indicted by EFCC for attempting to defraud the Nigerian government.

Malami insists that these matters were handled transparently and within legal frameworks, rejecting any insinuations of misconduct.