Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), was on Monday taken into custody by security operatives shortly after his release from the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.

Operatives of the Department of State Services reportedly picked him up immediately after he exited the facility. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission clarified that it did not re-arrest Malami.

Officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service confirmed that Malami was released after meeting his bail conditions.

“He has been released. He perfected his bail conditions and was released this afternoon,” one official said. Another added, “He joined the DSS in their vehicle after his release.”

A video obtained by our correspondent showed Malami being led to a black vehicle shortly after leaving the correctional centre.

In the footage, he was heard asking, “Who is the oga among you? Can I see your ID card?”

Efforts to obtain comments from the DSS Deputy Director of Public Relations, Favour Dozie, were unsuccessful, as calls to her phone were not returned.

EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale, reiterated, “We didn’t pick him up after he was released.”

Malami’s release followed the granting of bail on January 7 by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja. The court granted bail to Malami, his wife, and his son in the sum of N500 million each, with strict conditions.

Each defendant was required to produce two sureties with verifiable landed property within Asokoro, Maitama, or Gwarimpa, deposit property documents with the court, and submit affidavits of means.

They were also ordered to surrender their international passports and barred from travelling abroad without prior permission.

Malami, his wife Asabe, and his son had been remanded at Kuje following their arraignment by the EFCC on December 29, 2025, on a 16 counts, bordering on  money laundering involving about N8.7bn.

The EFCC alleged that the defendants used multiple corporate entities, bank accounts, and high-value real estate transactions to conceal proceeds of unlawful activities.

Court documents (FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025) stated that Malami and his son allegedly used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal over N1.01bn between July 2022 and June 2025, and another N600m allegedly passed through a Sterling Bank account linked to the company between September 2020 and February 2021.

Additionally, the EFCC claimed the trio disguised the origin of N500m used to purchase a luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Maitama.

Malami had been in EFCC custody since December 8, 2025, after failing to meet earlier bail conditions.

On December 18, a Federal Capital Territory High Court, presided over by Justice Babangida Hassan, upheld his detention as lawful.

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Davos, Switzerland, to lead Nigeria’s delegation at the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum.

The forum, which brings together global political and business leaders, will hold from January 19 to 23, 2026.

Shettima arrived from Conakry, Guinea, where he represented President Bola Tinubu at the inauguration of President Mamadi Doumbouya on Friday.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, the VP was received on arrival by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; and officials of the Nigerian mission in Switzerland.

This year’s forum marks a milestone in Nigeria’s participation at the annual gathering, with the Federal Government establishing a dedicated sovereign pavilion on the Davos Promenade for the first time.

The facility, called “Nigeria House Davos,” was established through a Public-Private Partnership.

It will serve as a hub for ministerial engagements, investment roundtables, and cultural diplomacy throughout the week.

Speaking to journalists after Shettima’s arrival, Oduwole said Nigeria would make a robust presentation of investment opportunities at the launch of Nigeria House.

“We will be showcasing four playbooks on President Tinubu’s efforts in re-engineering the Nigerian economy,” she said, adding, “We will present our solid minerals sector, climate sustainability, agriculture, and creative and digital sectors to investors from all over the world.”

According to Nkwocha, Shettima will present Nigeria’s 2026 economic outlook to global leaders during the forum.

He will also participate in plenary sessions focusing on the responsible deployment of Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology.

The Vice President is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with heads of state, executives from multinational corporations, and leaders of international development finance institutions throughout the week.

The World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos attracts thousands of participants, including heads of government, chief executives, civil society leaders, and journalists.

The 2026 edition is expected to focus on global economic challenges, technological innovation, and climate action.

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

The Ijaw National Congress says the people of Rivers State are against the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, warning the state Assembly loyal to ex-governor, Nyesom Wike, to shelve the plan.

Similarly, the Rivers State Elders and Leaders Council strongly condemned the Martin Amaewhule-led state House of Assembly over its ongoing impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.

The groups warned that the move is likely to fail and accused the lawmakers of pursuing selfish interests under the guise of constitutional procedure.

The INC described the impeachment as an exercise in futility, criticising lawmakers, particularly those of Ijaw extraction, who publicly supported the process despite Governor Fubara being one of their own.

In a telephone interview with The PUNCH on Sunday, INC President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, said the actions of some Assembly members amounted to betrayal.

“Yes, I’m very positive that at the end of the day it will all turn out to be a futile exercise,” Okaba said. “There is public outcry against them within and outside Rivers State because it is obvious that this is a clear case of vendetta using the instrumentality of impeachment.

It is not about the growth of democracy and development; it is all about personal interest above the interest of the state.”

He criticised four lawmakers who initially withdrew from the impeachment process, only to reverse their position within 48 hours, saying it reflects a lack of principles:

“Some Ijaw brothers in the House came out to say they are Ijaw people and that they support the impeachment. People have asked me, don’t you consider that Ijaw people in the House are supporting it? My answer is no. They are not speaking for Ijaw people. They have not consulted their constituents, and they lack Ijaw spirituality and consciousness.”

Okaba also condemned lawmakers’ alleged acceptance of public funds and benefits while pursuing impeachment:

“Take for instance the issue of supplementary materials. These same persons have collected vehicles worth N350 million while they were on suspension with some cases being given to all of them. That Greek gift was collected in the public domain and nobody has refuted that. All of this shows it is about self-interest.”

He accused Assembly Speaker, Amaewhule, of orchestrating the impeachment to position himself for a future governorship:

“Somebody is desperate to be governor by all means and therefore orchestrating impeachment. The Speaker should be told: when your time comes, contest; not to rubbish a system to become governor from the backdoor.”

Okaba emphasised that the deputy governor, Odu, had done nothing to warrant impeachment:

“Let’s say the governor fumbled, what did the deputy governor do that you’re also including her? All these displays of selfishness will not work. It will take our democracy several years back if allowed.”

Supporting INC’s position, Anabs Sara-Igbe, a member of the Rivers State Elders and Leaders Council and pioneer spokesman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, said the impeachment was embarrassing to President Bola Tinubu and the people of Rivers State.

“It is very obvious that the Assembly members are showing ingratitude to Mr. President and also to Rivers people. They think they are fighting Sim Fubara; no, they are fighting Rivers people. All they are trying to do is to stall development in the state,” Sara-Igbe said.

Sara-Igbe further criticised lawmakers for failing to respect the emergency rule imposed in the state, which brought in federal oversight following political unrest.

He alleged the lawmakers had already benefited financially during that period:

“If they can do something that made a stranger come and lavish our resources for six months and that is not enough, they still want to impeach the governor. Let them go ahead. But they should realise they are not fighting Sim; they are fighting Rivers people, and Rivers State will react appropriately.”

He also took aim at Minister Nyesom Wike for engaging in early political campaigning under the guise of ‘thank you’ visits, describing it as disrespectful to the President and the state:

“They said they have an agreement. I challenge them to publish the agreement they have that Sim refused to implement. If the agreement is in the interest of the state, let them publish it. Rivers people, as far as we are concerned, Sim is going for a second tenure whether they like it or not.”

Sara-Igbe warned that the impeachment could destabilize the state, region, and country if continued:

“The impeachment will hit the rocks. The process takes a long way, and as soon as the seven-man panel comes up to say the man is not guilty, that is the end of it. They cannot harass him with impeachment anymore. Rivers people are tired of their gimmick, we are tired of their tricks.”

He concluded with a caution to Wike and his supporters:

“What they are doing will trigger problems in the state, in the region, and in the country. So they should think well. If they continue with the impeachment, I wish them well. But at the end of the day, the impeachment will fail. And if it fails, that’s the end of impeachment.”

The INC and Rivers elders’ warnings come amid a politically charged atmosphere in Rivers State, where impeachment proceedings have deepened divisions within the House of Assembly and sparked wider debate over governance, accountability, and political ambition.

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM