The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), a civil society group, has asked Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), to stop meddling with corruption cases.
In a statement on Sunday by Olanrewaju Suraju, HEDA’s chairman, the group accused Malami of frustrating critical corruption cases embarked upon by law enforcement agencies.
The group said the AGF’s office should be in the forefront of the campaign against corruption and stop giving the impression that the fight against graft has political coloration.
“We are constrained to come out openly against what appears a clear attempt by the AGF to put a clogs in the wheel of the anti-corruption drive,” Suraju said.
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“HEDA has in fact compiled several instances when the AGF gave impression that he is not on the same page with Nigerians in the anti-corruption movement.
“If the AGF is not interested in bringing corruption to its knees, he should at least not do anything to obstruct the tide that is favoured to confront corruption headlong.
“Countries in the world that have succeeded in fighting corruption are those that have the Executive especially the AGF on the steering will. When the AGF takes actions that raise the dust of suspicion, the effective energy needed to curb financial crimes will be lost.”
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HEDA cited the example of how Malami had aborted the request by a federal high court requesting the presence of Hope Uzodinma, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo state, during his trial for non-declaration of asset.
The group said it was surprised that the AGF filed a suit to take over the case from the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Recovery of Public Property (SPIPRP) even when Uzodinma had not taken a plea on the charge against him.
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