The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has been petitioned to investigate former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, over his alleged role in the removal of former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, and other allegations of abuse of office.

A group of legislative lawyers, operating under the name Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP), submitted the petition dated February 3, 2026, to the CCB in Abuja.

In the petition, the group called for Malami’s investigation and prosecution for alleged violations of the Constitution and the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.

Recall that Justice Onnoghen was removed from office in the build-up to the 2019 general elections during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, with Malami serving as Attorney General at the time.

The former CJN was subsequently tried and convicted by the CCB Tribunal for alleged asset declaration breaches, a conviction that was overturned by the Court of Appeal in November 2024.

In the petition signed by ALDRAP’s lawyer, S. O. Abang, the group accused Malami of acting “Unlawfully and maliciously” in the removal of the former CJN and alleged that he abused prosecutorial powers vested in his office.

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The lawyers accused Malami of the “malicious prosecution of Justice Nnamdi Dimigba” of the Federal High Court and alleged that the former AGF received “illegal gifts” through his non-governmental organisation, Khadimiyya for Justice and Development Initiatives.

According to the petition, the alleged infractions occurred while Malami served as Attorney General and Minister of Justice under the Buhari administration.

“This is because he did not exercise this power for the benefit of overriding public interest but rather for his own personal financial and political benefits,” the petition stated.

ALDRAP further claimed that a Director of Investigation at the CCB could testify that Malami personally ordered the Bureau to discontinue certain prosecutions even after a prima facie case had been established.

“Conversely, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, also abused the powers conferred on him by his office as the former AGF and Minister of Justice by approving and fast-tracking the investigation of certain government officials by both the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Tribunal,” the petition alleged.

The lawyers claimed this was possible because the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal were administratively placed under the supervision of the Attorney General.

“For example, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, abused his office and abused Section 174 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) by using the said Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal to unlawfully remove from office, the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen, JSC, in the year 2019/2020,” the petition read.

The petition further alleged that Malami employed similar tactics against Justice Nnamdi Dimigba of the Federal High Court.

ALDRAP also accused the former AGF of breaching sections 5, 10, and 11 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, alleging that he openly admitted to receiving gifts, including over 200 vehicles, personally and through his NGO.

The petition accused Malami violated the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution and Section 5 of the Act when he approved the appointment of Alhaji Abubakar Usman Gotomo—chairman of Khadimiyya for Justice and Development Initiatives—as Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in 2019.

It also claimed that Malami admitted in May 2022 to receiving money and vehicles from friends and associates to support his gubernatorial ambition in Kebbi State, allegedly in violation of the law.

“The foregoing acts of Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, can be classified as acts of abuse of office and misconduct because he assaulted the Constitution of Nigeria and deployed and hijacked the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal to further his own personal, financial and political objectives,” the petition added.

ALDRAP urged the CCB to investigate and prosecute Malami, insisting that his alleged actions were inconsistent with the Constitution and the objectives of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal.

Meanwhile, Malami is currently facing separate criminal proceedings by the Federal Government over allegations bordering on money laundering and terrorism financing.