Detained former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Chika Malami, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of preventing him from completing the process required to secure his bail, describing the conditions imposed as excessively stringent and practically unattainable.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his media aide, Muhammed Bello Doka, Malami dismissed claims by the anti-graft agency that he had failed to take advantage of the bail granted to him. He said the assertion that Malami declined bail because he could not meet the prescribed conditions was misleading and untrue.

According to the statement, the bail terms were deliberately structured to ensure his continued detention, noting that some of the requirements, such as producing serving federal permanent secretaries who are currently under investigation, are unrealistic and impossible to fulfil.

Doka maintained that from the outset, Malami expressed willingness to comply with all bail conditions but was denied the opportunity to perfect them by the EFCC. He alleged that the commission was using the situation to justify prolonging Malami’s detention while portraying him as unwilling to accept bail.

Addressing allegations that Malami attempted to evade investigation, the aide insisted that the former justice minister is a law-abiding citizen who has never tried to frustrate or avoid investigative processes. He stressed that any claims suggesting otherwise did not originate from Malami.

The statement called on the EFCC to adopt a fairer and more comprehensive approach by setting realistic and achievable bail conditions. It also urged the commission to stop using the media to suggest that Malami deliberately refused bail when, according to him, he was denied a genuine opportunity to meet the requirements.