By Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja
In the year 2021, I was nominated and awarded the Gani Fawehinmi Award of Person of Integrity.
The award is funded by the McArthur Foundation but administered by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA).
The award was in recognition of my efforts to expose and cleanse the corruption and embezzlement of public funds by a top official of a certain federal government agency wherein I was the Chairman of the Governing Board.
It was during this period that I worked under the Abubakar Malami, SAN as he was the supervising Minister of the said federal government agency.
Based on one-on-one interactions with him, what His Excellency Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (NEW) has just said about Malami is 100% correct!!!
Throughout his period of eight years as Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Malami would be best remembered for the large number of reports of embezzlements that he covered up, swept under the carpet!!! It became his trademark, he was the go-to-public official whenever anyone wanted the skeleton in their cupboard to be hidden!!!
The number of Skeletons in MALAMI’s Closet Are Enough to Fill Two large-sized cemeteries!!!
I challenge the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to commence prosecution of the said Malami and see whether Nigerians would not come forward with a plethora of documentary evidence against the said Malami!!
During his interview on Channels TV dated 4th July 2025, Wike pointedly stated as follows:
“According to Wike, the forensic audit report, commissioned under the previous administration to probe massive financial mismanagement within the NDDC, has been suppressed to shield powerful individuals.
He pointed fingers at former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, alleging that Malami buried the report to protect those implicated.
“Who killed the audit report? It was Malami, the Attorney General then,” Wike said. “If President Tinubu really wants to help Nigerians, let him release the forensic audit of the NDDC. If what I am saying is not in that document, I will resign as Minister of FCT. I don’t worship office.” This is reported online at:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/pmnewsnigeria.com/2025/07/04/wike-accuses-amaechis-wife-of-n48bn-nddc-fraud-in-explosive-interview/%3famp=1
To conclude, the Chairman of HEDA, who served as the WHISTLE-BLOWER that uncovered the fraud surrounding the Malabu Oil Well scandal revealed to me that one of the most credible sources of Intel or information about corruption and embezzlement of public funds is to listen to when two former or current top government officials begin to fight against each other!!!
It is happening right now, the fight between Wike and Amaechi has exposed details about the forensic audit report of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). A report that would have otherwise been swept under the carpet and neatly buried as one of the many skeletons in MALAMI’s Closet!!!
Grab your popcorn, this particular unfolding drama promises to be swell, if the EFCC would allow us watch!!!
The views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Law & Society Magazine.
“Wow, explosive allegations! If true, it’s high time for the EFCC to step in and investigate the NDDC forensic audit report. No one should be above the law, not even the powerful. Justice must be served!”