By Amina Aminu Abdullahi, Kaduna
Dec. 22, 2025
A coalition of Northern youth groups has accused the administration of Bola Tinubu of orchestrating what it described as a systematic campaign of persecution against prominent Northern opposition figures, including former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami.
The coalition made the allegations during a press conference held at Arewa House, claiming that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is being used as an instrument of selective justice and political intimidation.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Hamza Bala, Chairman of the Coalition of Northern Youth Groups, alleged that President Tinubu was deliberately targeting Malami, his family members, associates, and other opposition leaders with the aim of silencing dissent and pushing Nigeria toward what he called a “dangerous one-party state.”
The coalition further claimed that members of Malami’s family have been subjected to harassment and sustained pressure, accusing the EFCC of institutional bias in the handling of corruption investigations involving opposition figures from the North.
They also alleged double standards in the treatment of corruption cases, pointing to Southern political figures such as Betta Edu, Nyesom Wike, and Ifeanyi Okowa, who, according to the group, have faced corruption allegations but are not currently detained.
Beyond political concerns, the coalition accused the Tinubu administration of policies they say have worsened economic hardship in the North, particularly the approval of food crop imports, which they argue has undermined local agriculture and deepened poverty across Northern communities.
The group demanded the immediate release of Abubakar Malami, an end to what they described as harassment of his family members, and the release of all opposition figures allegedly detained by the EFCC.
They also called for an immediate halt to selective justice and insisted that the anti-graft agency must investigate and prosecute corruption cases impartially, regardless of political affiliation or region.
Warning against what they termed marginalization of the North, the coalition stated that Northern leaders would not be “destroyed through intimidation,” stressing that Northern voters played a decisive role in President Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 presidential election.
The coalition reaffirmed its support for Malami and other Northern opposition leaders, calling on Northerners to unite in defending their leaders, dignity, and collective political interests.
