Biography

Birth

Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN was born on the 29^th of Zul Hijja 1386 (Monday, 10^th April, 1967 at Birnin Kebbi in Kebbi State. He was born into the respectable and learned family of Khadi Malami and Hajiya Halima. His father was a renowned judge of the Sharia Court of Appeal who presided over numerous important matters on Islamic law.

At a very early age, his parents ensured that he was raised as a disciplined kid. They inculcated in him the tenets of the Islamic faith, knowledge of the Quran and the Arabic language. These early pivots were to later become strong beacons of guidance in his life.

Primary Education

The young Abubakar began his primary education in 1973 at Nassarawa Primary School in Birnin Kebbi. He completed the Primary School Leaving Certificate in 1979. This period laid a solid foundation for his formal pursuit of Western education. At this point, he was already well-versed in Quranic studies.

Post Primary Schooling

In 1979, the young Abubakar then proceeded to the College of Arts & Arabic Studies, Sokoto where he earned the Grade II Teachers Certificate in 1984. His quest for knowledge also took him to the College of Legal & Islamic Studies, Sokoto where he obtained the Diploma in Law (Combined Honors) in 1987. It was very evident from this point onwards that the young Abubakar had set his sight on becoming a lawyer. However, little also did he know at the same that he would later in life attain the highest position in his legal career in Nigeria.

Tertiary Education

To fully set himself on the path of becoming a member of the learned profession, the youthful Abubakar proceeded to Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto in 1987 to study law. He graduated with Bachelor of Laws (Combined Honours) degree in 1991. He was subsequently then called to the Nigerian Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1992.

After joining the legal fraternity, the budding Abubakar had another quest. He wanted to horn his skills as an aspiring administrator, preparatory to assuming the mantle of leadership in the future. In a bid to do actualize this dream, he proceeded to the University of Maiduguri and enrolled for a postgraduate programme in public administration. He obtained the Master’s of Public Administration in 1994. Equipped with both the professional legal training in law and expertise in public administration, the coast became clear for Mr Abubakar to embark on a rewarding and fulfilling career in the academia, public and private practice.

Career

As a young law graduate and qualified barrister, Mr Abubakar opted for a career in teaching. He was an Assistant Lecturer in the Faculty of Law, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto from 2001-2003. He was promoted to the rank of Lecturer II in law in 2003 and served until 2006. During his stint in academia, he was endeared to his students and was looked up to by many of them as a good mentor. His lectures were well-received by students, who after many years later, still have fond memories and good things to say about him. Some of the students he taught are now doctorate degree holders in law and others are occupying very senior positions in the public and private sectors of our economy.

Much earlier on in his practicing career, Mr Abubakar had served as a lawyer in the law firm of K.T. Turaki & Co., in 1994. He was Head of Chambers at A. M. Hassan & Co., Birnin-Kebbi from 1994-1995.  He also served as State Counsel in the Ministry of Justice, Kebbi State in 1995. His brief stint on the Bench saw him becoming a Magistrate II in the Kebbi State Judiciary, Birnin-Kebbi from 1995 to 1996.

In 1997, he once again ventured into private practice and at this point was privileged to head the law Chambers of K. T. Turaki & Co., until 2002. As fate would have it, the sojourn in private legal practice paid off and he eventually became the Principal Partner of A. A. Malami & Co., from 2002-2015.

Honours and Awards

As a very distinguished legal practitioner, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN is the recipient of various prestigious awards and fellowships. He is a recipient of the award of Excellency by Democratic Youth Association of Nigeria. He was selected as the Kebbi Chapter ASUP Lawyer of the Year by Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Kano State Chapter. He was also given the award of Integrity by the Guardian Newspapers. This is in addition to receiving the award of Appreciation and Commendation by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2012.

Professional Bodies

Mr Abubakar is a member of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria since                2008 and to date. He is also a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) since 1992 and up till today.

As an astute Bar-man, he distinguished himself as a worthy contributor to the good of the Association by holding key positions in the administration of the NBA. He served as a member of the National Executive Committee of the NBA Representative, Kano Branch from 2005 – 2008; Secretary General, Nigerian Bar Association, Kano Branch in 2003; Member Welfare Committee, NBA, Kano Branch from 2001 -2003.

He was also a member of the Sub Committee of 2002 (Ibadan) National Conference Planning Committee, as well as the National Publicity Secretary Muslim Lawyers Forum Association of Nigeria, a post he held from 2001-2003.

Political Landscape

Mr Malami, SAN, has long association with the political developments of the country. He served as a member of the Constitution Sub – Committee for All Progressives Congress (APC) 6^th June 2014. He was Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) Kano State Congress Appeal Committee 15^th May 2014. He also served as a member of the Kebbi State Committee on National Conference Convened by the Federal Government in 2013.

Another political assignment saw him serve as the member of the APC Electoral Committee for Anambra State Gubernatorial Election in 2013, as well as a member, National Convention and Congress Committee in 2013. This is in addition to being a member of the Merger Committees between the CPC, CAN & ANPP which led to the formation of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2013.

Prior to the formation of the APC, Mr Malami, SAN had served as the National Legal Adviser of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) 2011-2013; Chairman of the Legal Team of the CPC Presidential Campaign Organization, 2011; Member of the Kano State Local Government Election Tribunal in 2004; Resource Person on the Manifesto drafting Sub-Committee of Inter Joint Party; and also member of the PDP Legal Team for Election Petition in 2003.

Ministerial Assignments

It is very apparent that given Mr Malami’s extensive private and public legal practice experience, it is only logical to assume the political horizon is equally within the range of his focus. His foray into politics has been both timely and rewarding.  From 2015 and up till now, he serves as the Chairman of the High Powered Presidential Committee on the Extension of the Continental Shelf.  He has also served as the Chairman of the Presidential Inter-Agency Committee on the Recovery of AMCON portfolio loans. He is currently the supervising Minister of the Presidential Committee on Prison Reform and Decongestion. Mr Malami, SAN is equally the Chairman of the Presidential Implementation Committee on the Financial Autonomy of State legislature and judiciary. He currently serves as the Chairman Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy.

Contribution to Public Life

Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN dedicated himself to the recovery of public stolen assets stashed in offshore jurisdictions by convening strategic and result-yielding bilateral and multilateral meetings and negotiations with different countries which nationalistic efforts culminated in the reparation/return of more than five hundred million United States Dollars in cash to the Federal Government of Nigeria. His other positive efforts have also begun to yield positive results as Nigeria is in advanced stages of recovering about eight hundred million United States Dollars from Ireland, United States, Island of Jersey and other jurisdictions across the world.

Other notable achievements include: 

1. Drafting of Presidential Executive Order Nos. 6 and 8 on the Preservation of Suspicious Assets Connected with Corruption and Voluntary Off-Shore Assets Regularization Scheme (VOARS) respectively. These instruments uniquely revolutionized the War against corruption in Nigeria.
2. Establishment of a virtual automated case management system to integrate prosecution data with the existing prison information management system by incorporating an integrated biometrics prisoners information technology to fast track prison decongestion in Nigeria.
3. Effective decongestion of Nigeria Prisons through the membership of the Presidential Committee on Prisons Reform and Decongestion headed by the Honourable Chief Judge of the FCT High Court. The Committee visited and appraised thirty-two (32) prisons in fourteen (14) States of the Federation during which a total number of Three Thousand, Seven Hundred and Forty (3740) Prisoners were released.
4. Design of broad policy framework, inter alia, for improving the judicial process and access to justice such as: (i) assessment of criminal cases that were being prosecuted by lay police prosecutors before the enactment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015; (ii) establishment of Justice Sector Reform Committees in about twenty-six States of the Federation, and (iii) provision of Sentencing Guidelines for Judicial Officers.
5. Facilitation of international and national cooperation in the recovery of stolen assets; Open Government Partnership Initiatives, Electoral and anti-corruption law/policy reforms. The Anti-Corruption Strategy Framework revolves around five pillars as follows: (a) prevention of corruption, (b) public enlightenment, (c) campaign for ethical reorientation, (d) enforcements and sanctions and (e) recovery of proceeds of corruption, and it is inter alia designed to identify and close existing gaps in the anti-corruption initiatives currently in place in Nigeria, and emphasize the institutionalization of result-based systems and structures as well as appropriate incentives for increasing and sustaining citizens’ anti-corruption crusade.
6. Ensuring the effective implementation of preventive anti-corruption policies such as the Treasury Single Account (TSA), the Bank Verification Number (BVN), unprecedented implementation of the Code of Conduct Legislation and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
7. Coordinating implementation of the Asset Recovery Campaign of the Federal Government of Nigeria, by working with anti-corruption agencies, law enforcement and security agencies in the recovery of public funds stolen domestically and those transferred offshore.
8. Recovery of over $73 Million being part of the proceeds from the sale of OPL 245 by Malabu Oil and Gas Company to ENI/SHELL.
9. Actual recoveries by the Asset Recovery and Management Unit of the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation totaling N 59,163,029,949.46 (Fifty-Nine Billion, One Hundred and Sixty-Three Million, Twenty-Nine Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty-Nine Naira, Forty-Six Kobo) and $385,495,900.00 (Three Hundred and Eighty-Five Million, Four Hundred and Ninety-Five Thousand, Nine Hundred Dollars) locally.
10. Facilitation of the signing of several Bilateral Agreements aimed at aiding quick recovery of stolen public funds stashed in various offshore jurisdictions.
11. Generation of Executive Bills and provision of legal advice to Mr. President on Bills presented for Assent by the National Assembly. The Federal Ministry of Justice headed by Mr. Malami, SAN inaugurated a Law Review Team to facilitate the review of some existing Laws which led to the proposition of these Bills:

• Anti-Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Bill 2017;
• The Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Bill 2017;
• Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit Bill 2017;
• Proceeds of Crime Bill 2017;
• Public Interest Disclosure and Witness Protection Bill, 2017; and
• Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill, 2017.

12. Prevention of the expulsion of Nigeria from the EGMONT Group;  and
13. Preparation and/or review of Court Processes and representing the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Litigation, and drafting of Regulations pursuant to relevant Statutes.

Youngest Attorney General of the Federation

At just forty eight years of age, Mr Malami, SAN was appointed as the 23^rd Attorney General of the Federation on November 11, 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR. He was then the youngest member of the Cabinet, thus making him a member of Nigeria’s exclusive club of legal practitioners to become the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice in Nigeria.

Philanthropy

As part of his community outreach activities, Mr Malami, SAN is a public spirited individual who has great respect for human life. He also exhibits a high level of concern for the less privileged and vulnerable members of society. It is in this spirit of giving back to society that he established two charitable foundations for good causes and the advancement of society. The charitable entities called: the Kadi Malami and Khadimiyya Foundations are active voluntary charities operating in the North West.