Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has strongly refuted claims suggesting that persons associated with him attempted to bribe the presiding judge in his ongoing trial.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the 7th of January, 2026, Malami’s media aide, Mohammed Bello Doka, faulted a recent press release by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), describing it as misleading and deliberately crafted to create the impression that there was an attempt to influence Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja.
The statement categorically dismissed the allegation, insisting that no member of Malami’s legal team, family, associates, or office had approached or attempted to approach the judge for any form of favour. It described such insinuations as false, reckless, and entirely without foundation.
According to the statement, Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Attorney-General, holds the judiciary in the highest esteem and has absolute confidence in the integrity and impartiality of Justice Nwite. It stressed that there was never any justification or intention to engage in improper conduct or seek undue influence in the matter before the court.
The statement further clarified that comments attributed to Justice Nwite during court proceedings were routine cautionary remarks, which the judge regularly issues to all counsel and litigants appearing before him. It maintained that the remarks were not targeted at Malami or any of the defendants in particular.
Malami’s camp accused the EFCC of “weaponising” what it described as a standard judicial admonition and presenting it as a sensational narrative aimed at tarnishing his reputation in the public domain.
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“The EFCC’s approach reinforces concerns that it is conducting a media trial instead of allowing the matter to be determined strictly on the basis of evidence and due process before the court,” the statement said.
It added that Malami and his co-defendants have willingly submitted themselves to the jurisdiction of the court, complied with all lawful orders, and remain confident that justice will prevail through the judicial process.
The statement concluded by urging the anti-graft agency to refrain from misleading the public or prejudicing ongoing proceedings through press statements, stressing that allegations should be established in court and not tried in the media.