Whistleblower Accuses Ex-AGF Malami, Justice Ministry Officials Of Diverting Over $1Billion From Cloned NPA Account, EFCC Opens Probe
A whistleblower, John Kpurhe, has accused former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), alongside senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Justice and a private businessman, of diverting $1,034,515,050 (over $1.03 billion) belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria through a cloned bank account linked to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), SaharaReporters has learnt.
Those named in the petition include Alhaja Ladidi B. Muhammed, a senior official in the Asset Recovery Unit of the Federal Ministry of Justice; Barrister Buni, identified as a confidential secretary; and Alhassan Dantata, Chairman/CEO of Crescent House Limited.
According to documents obtained by SaharaReporters, the funds were allegedly lodged in a cloned account bearing Account Number 0013680344, said to be an NPA account maintained with Unity Bank Plc at NPA, 26/28 Marina, Lagos, and were allegedly used to defraud the Federal Government of Nigeria.
How Whistleblower Reported Alleged Fraud
SaharaReporters gathered that Kpurhe, after allegedly uncovering the suspicious account and its contents, approached Malami directly while he was Attorney General of the Federation to disclose what he described as vital information about the cloned account and the huge funds it contained.
According to a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from his lawyers, FritzAbbey Solicitors & Advocates, upon being briefed and allegedly satisfied with the information presented, Malami directed the Head of the Asset Recovery Unit in the Ministry of Justice, Alhaja Ladidi B. Muhammed, to take steps to recover the funds.
Following this directive, Kpurhe wrote a formal information letter dated June 11, 2018, detailing the alleged loot.
SaharaReporters learnt that the letter was submitted to Alhaja Ladidi B. Muhammed for necessary action, in line with Malami’s alleged instruction.
An agreement dated June 22, 2018, was subsequently signed on Kpurhe’s behalf by his lawyer, Barrister Mamma, while the then-Attorney General of the Federation represented the Federal Ministry of Justice, according to petition.
Trips To Court And Condemnation Certificate
SaharaReporters further learnt that officials involved in the recovery process allegedly sponsored several trips to and from the Federal High Court, Apapa, Lagos, as part of efforts to obtain a condemnation certificate in respect of the cloned account.
Among those who reportedly travelled to court were Barrister Buni, confidential secretary to Alhaja Ladidi B. Muhammed, and Kpurhe himself, who was part of the recovery team at the time. However, events later took a controversial turn.
Lawyer Removed, Recovery Process Halted
On July 27, 2018, Alhaja Ladidi B. Muhammed allegedly wrote a letter terminating the involvement of Kpurhe’s lawyer, Barrister Mamma, in the recovery process. In the letter, she reportedly claimed that the account in question had become the subject of a court dispute.
In the petition submitted to the EFCC on December 29, 2025, by FritzAbbey Solicitors, counsel for Kpurhe, the lawyers alleged that the claim was merely a tactic to remove Kpurhe’s lawyer from the process.
“Our client informed us that when he asked Alhaja Ladidi why such letter was written, she told our client that she used it as a tactic to remove our client’s lawyer on record, Barr. Mamma, from the recovery process,” the petition stated.
According to the petition, Alhaja Ladidi allegedly complained that Barrister Mamma was “frequenting her office” after signing the agreement on behalf of Kpurhe, which she considered a nuisance, adding that there was “no problem about the account.”
The petition further stated that Alhaja Ladidi allegedly gave Kpurhe a copy of the letter just for our client to know that she does not want the lawyer’s services again.
Fresh Letter Written Same Day
Kpurhe also alleged that on the same July 27, 2018, Alhaja Ladidi directed him to write a fresh information letter, effectively discontinuing the earlier letter dated June 11, 2018. SaharaReporters learnt that Kpurhe complied immediately
According to the petition, copies of both the first and second information letters are available and are to be supplied to investigators during investigation and prosecution.
The petition further disclosed that Kpurhe’s uncle, Ambassador Gilbert Nwokenye (JP, DSS retired), also wrote a new information letter bearing the same date, July 27, 2018, which was submitted and allegedly acknowledged by Alhaja Ladidi through an official stamp on a duplicate copy.
Allegation Of Full Conversion Of $1.034bn
FritzAbbey Solicitors, in the petition addressed to the EFCC Chairman, accused Malami and the other named individuals of allegedly converting the entire $1.034 billion for their personal use.
“We are Solicitors to John Kpurhe and on the strength of his brief to us, we write with respect to the way and manner the former Attorney General of the Federation, Malami Abubakar (SAN), and his cohorts fraudulently diverted the sum of One Billion, Thirty-Four Million, Five Hundred and Fifteen Thousand United States Dollars ($1,034,515,050) contained in a cloned account,” the petition read.
The petition named Malami Abubakar (SAN), Alhaja Ladidi B. Muhammed, Barrister Buni, and Alhassan Dantata of Crescent House Limited as those allegedly involved in the conversion of the funds.
Fear For Safety, Call For Protection
Beyond the financial allegations, the petition also raised serious security concerns, stating that Kpurhe’s life, as well as the lives of staff of Legal Hub Nigeria, are allegedly at risk because of the case.
“At the moment, because of this case, the life of our client and even staff of Legal Hub Nigeria is at stake,” the petition said, calling on the EFCC to provide security protection to preserve their lives during the pendency of the investigation.
The lawyers said Kpurhe is ready to appear before the commission to give evidence during investigation and prosecution.
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