Published by Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A dramatic and symbolic confrontation unfolded at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday when human rights activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore came face to face with the former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), who is currently facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In a video that has since gone viral, Sowore was seen exchanging fist pumps and verbally confronting Malami, reminding the former justice minister of the role he played in his own persecution under the Muhammadu Buhari administration. “You see how it feels now to be persecuted. When you were with Buhari, you were bragging,” Sowore told Malami. “We warned you then that there is failure in the justice system, but you didn’t listen, and now the system is dealing with you.”
The pair were at the court for different legal proceedings. Malami is currently defending himself, his wife and his son against an amended 16‑count charge filed by the EFCC bordering on conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities totalling N8.7 billion, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. He is separately being sued by the Department of State Services (DSS) on charges including money laundering, unlawful possession of firearms and unlawful acquisition of assets, and is contesting an order for the temporary confiscation of his possessions, which he insists were acquired lawfully. Sowore, meanwhile, has been a constant critic of the justice system after spending 124 days in DSS custody in 2019 and facing treasonable felony charges for calling for #RevolutionNow protests.
The confrontation occurred in a court lobby, drawing laughter and hushed comments from lawyers, litigants and observers who watched the exchange unfold. Sowore did not stop at verbal remarks. He offered Malami an orange beret, the signature of his ‘Revolution Now’ movement, and invited the former AGF to join his cause. “I want to give you my cap. This is a revolutionary cap,” Sowore said. Malami politely declined, replying, “I have my own cap.” Undeterred, Sowore pressed further: “We want to recruit you now that you know that there is failure in the system.”
Despite the taunts, Sowore took a moment to acknowledge Malami’s resilience. “At least I’m glad that you are strong,” he said. He then turned his critique to the broader dysfunction of the system, suggesting that its failures are impartial, eventually turning on even those who once wielded it for their own benefit. “We are not all on the same side; even the oppressors are oppressing you now,” Sowore said. “As far as the Nigerian project is concerned, no matter how powerful you people are, we will never support you. We are resilient till tomorrow.”
Malami, who served as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice from 2015 to 2023, responded calmly but firmly. Speaking to Sowore, he said, “I can never be down as far as Nigeria is concerned.” He confirmed that he has been attending all his court sittings and insisted, “I remain strong.” Malami also took the opportunity to clarify that he remains an active member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), noting that he had been attending all the party’s meetings but could not attend the opposition summit held in Ibadan over the weekend.
The confrontation draws a sharp parallel to Sowore’s own legal ordeal under the Buhari administration. In 2019, the activist was arrested by the DSS and charged with treasonable felony, money laundering and insulting the president. He was detained for 124 days, and after a conditional release, he was rearrested in December 2019, spending additional periods in detention in early 2021. The charges were later dropped, but the episode remains a defining moment in Sowore’s activism. For him, Malami’s current legal troubles are not merely a matter of schadenfreude but a confirmation that the dysfunction of the Nigerian justice system is impartial, eventually consuming even those who once defended it.
The dynamic between the two men is layered with irony. Malami, as the government’s chief law officer, had overseen the legal architecture that critics argue was weaponised against dissent. Sowore, who found himself at the receiving end multiple times, has now watched from the sidelines as the same system turns its scrutiny on a former insider. “Your table has turned to our side,” Sowore said, a remark that Malami met with his own measured retort: “The table has its own wheel.”
The exchange has triggered a wave of reactions across Nigerian social media, with many users interpreting the moment as a rare instance of accountability in a system often criticised for impunity. Others have noted that Malami’s composure, rather than defiance, might be the smarter tactical posture given his active legal challenges. While no physical confrontation occurred, the psychological undercurrent was unmistakable, and it has further fuelled public curiosity about the progress of the EFCC’s case against the former AGF.
Malami remains a prominent member of the ADC, an opposition party that has emerged as a major coalition platform ahead of the 2027 general elections. His continued presence in the party, despite mounting legal challenges, suggests that he has not been politically isolated by the prosecutions. Yet, as Sowore pointedly observed, the tables have indeed turned; the man who once signed off on charges against activists is now himself appearing before courts to answer allegations of corruption and unlawful enrichment.
The encounter has also drawn attention to the broader state of Nigeria’s anti‑corruption enforcement. The EFCC and the DSS have been criticised for selective prosecution, but the fact that a former AGF is currently being tried on multiple charges represents a significant test for the country’s justice system. If the cases proceed to conviction, they would mark a rare instance of a high‑ranking political figure being held accountable after leaving office. If they collapse, they would reinforce the perception that the powerful are still beyond the reach of the law.
For Sowore, the moment was fleeting, and his focus remains on the larger project of systemic reform. But for one humid April morning in Abuja, the revolutionary activist and the embattled former attorney‑general stood in the same lobby, separated by a few feet and the vast gulf of their personal histories. “The system is dealing with you now,” Sowore reminded him. For Malami, the next hearing is just a date on the calendar. For Sowore, it is a vindication he has waited years to witness.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments