Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused Nigeria’s anti-corruption institutions of straying from their core mandate and transforming into tools for political persecution targeted at opposition figures.
In a statement issued Thursday by his media office in Abuja, Atiku warned that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft bodies risk losing public confidence unless they “purge themselves of partisan contamination.”
The former Vice President was reacting to the recent arrest and detention of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN). He argued that the EFCC’s actions suggest a drift from the principles that informed its creation, saying the politicisation of its investigations has called its credibility into question.
According to Atiku, the commission has become “a weapon for narrow political agendas,” with its targets allegedly selected on the basis of political affiliation rather than evidence. He described Malami’s arrest as part of what he called “a shamelessly selective pursuit of opposition figures,” accusing the EFCC of functioning as “an overzealous appendage of the ruling APC.”
Atiku further claimed it was no coincidence that the EFCC became “suddenly hyperactive” following the rise of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a stronger opposition bloc. He referenced actions against Malami and former Sokoto State governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal as examples of what he considers politically motivated operations, while alleging that corruption allegations involving ruling party associates were overlooked.
He also recalled instances where former governors with unresolved corruption cases were appointed to ministerial and ambassadorial positions under President Bola Tinubu’s administration — appointments he argued should have attracted EFCC objections.
Atiku added that if Malami had defected to the APC, “the EFCC would have left him untouched, even if he had looted the entire CBN vault,” insinuating that investigations tend to disappear once individuals align with the ruling party.
The former Vice President warned that no meaningful anti-corruption campaign can succeed if institutions are compromised by partisan interests. He urged the EFCC leadership to “urgently detach itself from political manipulation,” stressing that the integrity of the commission is too critical to be sacrificed for “the fleeting interests of any political party.”
The statement was issued by the Atiku Media Office and dated December 11, 2025.