A prominent civil society organization has ramped up pressure on Nigeria's anti-graft agency with a new petition targeting former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), led by its chairman Olanrewaju Suraju, submitted the petition dated December 23, 2025, directly to EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede. This latest move builds on an earlier complaint HEDA lodged back in September 2023 and comes amid an ongoing EFCC probe into Malami, who already faces criminal charges with an arraignment slated for January.Suraju explained that the fresh allegations stem from recently uncovered audit reports, investigative findings, and outcomes from legislative inquiries that point to serious irregularities during Malami's time in office.
Among the claims are mismanagement of over N113 million in 2019, with expenditures lacking proper documentation or compliance with financial rules. Other issues highlighted include billions spent in 2017 on judgment debts without adequate oversight, unauthorized foreign travel allowances worth N32.5 million, and dozens of payment vouchers totaling N71.19 billion that were reportedly missing during audits.
HEDA insists these actions violate key laws, such as the EFCC Act, the Corrupt Practices Act, Public Procurement Act, and Fiscal Responsibility Act. In a strong call to action, the group urged the EFCC to broaden its current investigation, track down any involved parties, recover misappropriated funds, and ensure prosecutions—no matter the status of those implicated."This is all in the public interest and to bolster Nigeria's fight against corruption," Suraju emphasized.
As Malami's case continues to unfold, watchers say this new petition could intensify scrutiny on his tenure and test the EFCC's resolve in handling high-profile matters.
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