After the 2019 elections, Senator Danjuma Goje abruptly withdrew from the Senate Presidency race. He backed Ahmed Lawan, the favored candidate of President Buhari.
This move came just after the EFCC dropped a ₦25 billion case against him, thanks to a hefty payment made by Malami to two lawyers. They received $17 million to assist in repatriating $321 million in Abacha’s stolen funds from Switzerland, despite the Swiss doing most of the legal work. Many of those repatriated funds remain unaccounted for.
In May 2021, Malami announced the arrest of 400 bureau-de-change operators and alleged financiers of terrorism. Yet, he chose not to disclose their identities or prosecute them. In stark contrast, he quickly moved to detain and charge Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu.
Malami even permitted a company, Omoh-Jay Nigeria Ltd, facing trial for crude oil theft, to auction off seized crude oil and diesel. He controversially advocated for secret trials of terrorism and treason suspects, barring journalists from covering these cases, which is unusual in any democratic setting.
Malami also threatened media outlets that questioned his wealth or actions as Attorney General. When the UK returned £4.2 million stolen by former Delta State governor James Ibori, Malami seized the funds, deciding against returning them to Delta State, the rightful victim. The House of Representatives summoned him to clarify his review and approval of loan agreements with China that included clauses waiving Nigeria’s sovereign immunity.
He pushed for Executive Order 10, allowing funds to be deducted directly from state allocations to support the judiciary and legislature. State governors accused him of overstepping, attempting to undermine their authority and disrupt their governance.
In 2020, while COVID-19 caused global distress, Malami’s son had an extravagant wedding, blatantly ignoring presidential orders against large gatherings. He prosecuted Nigerians for spraying naira at events, labeling it an abuse. Yet, during his son’s wedding, millions were sprayed without any arrests or repercussions.
Malami also hindered payments to whistleblowers despite their contributions leading to arrests and charges, discouraging further reporting of wrongdoing.
