For eight years, Abubakar Malami served as Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice. His office was powerful, his signature decisive, and his word often final. But long after he left office, the stories connected to his tenure began to resurface — this time with dates, documents, and investigations attached.
TheCable reports that a security agency has now been assigned to question him over several controversial actions he took between 2015 and 2023. And as investigators trace each step, a timeline of unanswered questions begins to unfold.
THE TIMELINE OF EVENTS THAT BROUGHT MALAMI UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT
2004 – 2008: The Ajaokuta Trouble Begins
In 2004, the Obasanjo administration handed over the Ajaokuta Steel and NIOMCO concession to Global Steel Holdings Ltd (GSHL). But by June 2008, under the Yar’Adua government, the deal was cancelled over allegations of asset stripping and tax violations. Global Steel is headed for arbitration.
2010: A Committee Suggests Nigeria Should Pay
A committee led by Abdullahi Yola recommended in 2010 that Nigeria pay $525 million to settle with Global Steel. The Jonathan administration instead chose mediation.
2013: “No Financial Obligation” — Jonathan Government Speaks
On May 23, 2013, Senator Smart Adeyemi announced that the Jonathan administration had recovered Ajaokuta “without any financial obligation whatsoever.”
2016 – 2017: Buhari Government Renegotiates
In August 2016, the Buhari administration approved a modified concession allowing Global Steel to retain NIOMCO. By September 2017, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo signed the agreement returning full ownership of Ajaokuta and NIOMCO to Nigeria.
May 2020: Global Steel Threatens Nigeria Again
In May 2020, Global Steel privately threatened arbitration in Paris, demanding up to $14 billion, later reduced to $5.258 billion.
September 3, 2022: Malami Announces $496 Million Settlement
On September 3, 2022, Malami announced that Nigeria had reached a settlement to pay Global Steel $496 million, describing it as a “91% reduction” from the original claim.
THE ASSET RECOVERY CONTROVERSY
October 5, 2021: Malami Awards Secret Asset Recovery Contract
A confidential letter dated October 5, 2021, granted Gerry Ikputu & Partners and M.E. Sheriff & Co. authority to recover federal properties across 10 states, and the FCT — earning 3% of each asset recovered. The contract was to run until April 2022.
August 2022: EFCC Questions Ministry Official
In August 2022, EFCC grilled Ladidi Mohammed, head of the Asset Recovery and Management Unit, over the sale of forfeited assets. She reportedly claimed Malami gave verbal instructions but had no written approval to show.
THE PARIS CLUB REFUND SAGA
2017 – 2021: Tension Over Consultants’ Claims
Over several years, consultants demanded $418 million for alleged work on Paris Club refunds.
2021: Governors Obtain Court Order
In August 2021, a federal high court in Abuja restrained the federal government from deducting the $418 million from state allocations.
August 2022: Governors Accuse Malam
In August 2022, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum openly accused Malami of helping consultants “hustle state funds.” Malami insisted the payments were justified.
Shortly after, a court barred the consultants from trading or using the promissory notes issued to them.
THE MAMBILLA POWER PROJECT DISPUTE
June 20, 2017: Sunrise Writes to Acting President Osinbajo
Sunrise Power told Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in a letter dated June 20, 2017, that it had been unfairly removed from the Mambilla project.
In a letter dated July 24, 2017, Malami advised that Sunrise should be engaged as a local content partner.
By August 17, 2017, he reversed himself, saying there was no valid contract between the federal government and Sunrise.
In early 2020, Malami and then Power Minister Sale Mamman signed a deal committing Nigeria to pay Sunrise Power $200 million as final settlement, plus0% penalty for default.
Sources said Sunrise originally asked for $80 million.
April 20, 2020: Buhari Rejects the Deal
President Buhari responded on April 20, 2020, saying: “FG does not have USD 200 million to pay SPTCL.”
THE ABACHA LOOT AND THE $17 MILLION LETTER
Switzerland’s Enrico Monfrini was hired in 1999 to trace Abacha loot.
By 2014, Monfrini had traced and recovered $321 million from Luxembourg, and his fees were fully paid.
2017 – 2018: Nigerian Lawyers Hired for a Simple Request
Despite the recovery being complete, Malami hired two Nigerian lawyers — Oladipo Okpeseyi and Temitope Adebayo — to simply request the return of the funds.
They were paid $17 million, even though no asset tracing or legal battle was required.
NOW, THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS
With all these events, dates, documents, and decisions on the table, investigators are now piecing together:
- Why certain settlements were made
- Why were private contractors over federal agencies
- Whether Nigeria lost money due to duplicated or unnecessary fees
- And whether Malami acted within the boundaries of his office
Each date in this story forms part of the trail that has brought the former attorney-general into one of the biggest post-administration probes in Nigeria’s recent history.
For the first time, Malami is not the one interpreting the law — he is the one being asked to explain it.
