The Attorney-general of the federation (AGF), Abubakar
Malami, has fumed over allegations his office leaked to the public the list of
those being allegedly probed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC). Miffed by the allegation, Malami warned EFCC against ridiculing his
office, saying he would not allow his office to be “dragged into petty
squabbles” in equally saying the CJN Onnoghen is under any probe.
The Chief
justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen; former governor of Akwa Ibom state,
Godswill Akpabio; minister of mines and steel, Kayode Fayemi and the former
minister of finance under Goodluck Jonathan, Ngozi Okonjo-Iwala were rumoured
to be among those on the proposed probe list by EFCC. Malami and Magu A
statement by by Salihu Othman Isah, media aide to the minister,
Malami debunked
ever making the list public.
Malami however assured the CJN of “The honourable
attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice wishes to express
his displeasure over the unfortunate and unbecoming innuendo by certain persons
and agencies which sought to accuse his office of leaking what was termed as
classified information to the public.” “This office, therefore, wishes to state
categorically, but with absolute repudiation, that it did not at any time leak
such information to the media as wrongly alluded by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“The pertinent question to ask is since the EFCC has
publicly denied that the honourable chief justice of Nigeria is not under probe
or investigation; is it then possible for the same EFCC to have forwarded any
classified information on a non-existent probe or investigation of the
Honourable CJN to the honourable attorney-general of the federation? “It also
goes to show that the office of the honourable attorney-general of the
federation could not have leaked a non-existent classified information on an
equally non-existent probe or investigation.”.
“We therefore use this
opportunity to reaffirm our deep respect for the distinguished person and
office of the honourable chief justice of Nigeria.” “We wish to state
unequivocally that the office of the honourable attorney-general of the
federation will continue to collaborate with his lordship in his efforts to
reform the judiciary and galvanise the anti-graft war.
“Indeed, the present
administration appreciates his lordship for his unwavering support for its
anti-corruption drive. We wish to state further that we are neither aware of
nor privy to any purported probe or ongoing investigation of the honourable
chief justice of Nigeria by any security or anti-graft agency. “The office of
the honourable attorney-general of the federation dissociates itself from the
baseless allusion or suggestion obviously made in bad faith to the effect that
his lordship is under any form of probe or investigation whatsoever.”
Vanguard
