Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of using strong-arm tactics and political intimidation in its latest move against him.

EFCC operatives marked a property in Abuja linked to Malami after securing an interim forfeiture order from a court. The development triggered a confrontation captured in a viral two-minute video, in which Malami challenged the operatives to produce the court order authorising their action and questioned the legality of the raid.

Speaking with reporters, Malami described the operation as an unnecessary show of force. He said heavily armed personnel stormed his residence and other locations associated with him under the guise of serving letters of invitation, an approach he insisted was designed to harass his family and associates.

According to Malami, the court had earlier granted an order relating to the status of his properties, with a 14-day window for him to respond. He maintained that he had already complied with due process by filing the necessary court applications to challenge and set aside the order, making the EFCC’s dramatic enforcement, in his view, both premature and intimidating.

The former minister, now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, framed the raid as part of a broader pattern of persecution. He linked the action to what he described as his prolonged detention in EFCC custody for over 99 days, which he argued violated constitutional safeguards that limit detention without arraignment.

Malami further suggested that the timing of the raid was calculated to send a political message. He noted that EFCC operatives arrived shortly after a series of solidarity visits to his home by prominent political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, reinforcing his belief that the operation was driven by political considerations rather than pure law enforcement.

He vowed not to be cowed by what he termed intimidation, insisting that his political ambitions, particularly his interest in a governorship bid, remain intact. Malami stressed that his right to participate in politics is guaranteed by the constitution and that he intends to fully exercise that right.

The EFCC, however, has defended its action as a routine legal procedure. Its spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said the marking of the property was simply to notify the public of its status under a valid interim forfeiture order issued by a competent court.