Abubakar Malami


Abubakar Malami SAN, is a Nigerian lawyer and politician who since 2015 is serving as Minister for Justice and Attorney-General.

Background

Abubakar Malami was born on 17 April 1967 in Birnin Kebbi, the capital of Kebbi State, Northern Nigeria. His early formal education began at Nassarawa Primary School, Birnin Kebbi before he completed his secondary school education at College of Arts and Arabic Studies. In 1991, he graduated from Usmanu Danfodiyo University where he studied Law and was called to the bar in 1992. Abubakar is an alumnus of the University of Maiduguri where he obtained his master's degree in Public Administration in 1994. After graudating, he became a legal practitioner, serving in various capacities including being a counsel and magistrate in Kebbi State.

Early political career

Malami was the National Legal Adviser of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change. He was actively involved in the formation of the All Progressives Congress in 2013 as the resource person to the Manifesto Drafting Sub-Committee of Inter Joint Party Merger Committees between the Congress for Progressive Change, Action Congress of Nigeria and the All Nigeria Peoples Party. In 2014, Abubakar contested for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress in Kebbi State but lost the primaries to Atiku Bugudu.

Minister of Justice

On 11 November 2015, Abubakar was appointed as Minister for Justice and Attorney-General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria thus making him the youngest minister in Muhammadu Buhari's cabinet. On 21 August 2019, he was re-appointed as the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation by President Muhammadu Buhari on 21 August 2019.

Corruption

In June 2019, Malami was to appear before a disciplinary panel of the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee to face the petitioners seeking the stripping of his Senior Advocate of Nigeria rank for alleged misconduct.
In support of President Buhari's fight against corruption in Nigeria, Abubakar Malami filed a petition to the Government to remove the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Ibrahim Magu. In his petition he stated that Mr.Ibrahim Magu should be sacked on several grounds raging from diversion of recovered loot to insubordination and misconduct. He also recommended three people to take Mr. Ibrahim Magu's position.
In July 2020, a Sahara Reporters investigation alleged that Abubakar Malami as Attorney General & Minister of Justice and his family has amassed "unexplained wealth", an allegation he denied.

Honours