By Peter Omopo
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday granted former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and his son, Abdulaziz, bail in the sum of N200m each in a terrorism financing and firearms case instituted by the Department of State Services.
However, Malami was remanded in a correctional facility over a separate 16-count charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission bordering on alleged money laundering and unlawful acquisition of assets valued at over N8.7bn.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in her ruling on the bail applications in the terrorism case, held that the primary purpose of bail is to ensure the attendance of defendants at trial. She admitted Malami and his son to bail in the sum of N200m each with two sureties in like sum.
The court ordered that one of the sureties must own a developed property in Maitama or Asokoro, Abuja, and deposit the title deed with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court. The sureties are also to depose to affidavits of means and submit two recent passport photographs. Malami and his son were directed to deposit their international passports and recent passport photographs with the court.
Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, the court ordered that they be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter until March 4 for commencement of trial.
The DSS had arraigned Malami and Abdulaziz on a five-count charge of terrorism financing, conduct preparatory to terrorism and unlawful possession of firearms. They pleaded not guilty. In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026, the DSS alleged that Malami knowingly abetted terrorism financing by failing to prosecute suspected financiers whose case files were forwarded to his office while he served as AGF and Minister of Justice in November 2022.
The agency further alleged that in December 2025, Malami and his son engaged in conduct preparatory to terrorism by unlawfully possessing a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 Redstar AAA live cartridges and 27 expended cartridges at their residence in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State. According to the prosecution, the offences contravene provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and the Firearms Act, 2004.
In a related development, Justice Abdulmalik voided the earlier bail granted to Malami in his money laundering trial following the reassignment of the case. The court held that since the matter commenced afresh before it, all previous proceedings, including the bail earlier granted by another judge, were deemed terminated in law.
At the resumed hearing, the prosecution applied for the defendants’ pleas to be taken on the amended 16-count charge. Malami, his son and his wife, Asabe, pleaded not guilty.
The defence urged the court to retain the earlier bail conditions, arguing that the Federal High Court is one court and that the defendants had already been admitted to bail. The prosecution countered that the new court had the discretion to adopt previous conditions or impose fresh ones to guarantee their attendance.
Justice Abdulmalik directed the defence to file a formal bail application and adjourned the matter until March 6 for hearing of the application and commencement of trial. She ordered that Malami and his son be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, while his wife be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre.
