The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday granted former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and his son, Abdulaziz, N200m bail each in a terrorism financing and firearms case filed by the Department of State Services.
But the ex-minister was remanded in correctional centre by the court on the 16-count charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged money laundering and unlawful acquisition of assets running into over N8.7bn.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in a ruling on Malami and his son’s separate bail applications, held that the essence of bail was to ensure that defendants attend trial.
She granted them bail in the sum of N200m each with two sureties in like sum.
The judge ordered that one of the sureties must own a developed landed 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 further directed to deposit their international passports and recent passport photographs with the court.
The court, however, ordered that the defendants be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of their bail conditions and adjourned the matter till March 4 for commencement of trial.
The DSS had arraigned Malami and Abdulaziz on a five-count charge bordering on terrorism financing, conduct preparatory to terrorism and unlawful possession of firearms. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026, the DSS accused Malami of knowingly abetting terrorism financing by allegedly refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism 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 rounds of cartridges and 27 expended cartridges at their residence in Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
According to the prosecution, the offences contravene provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and the Firearms Act, 2004.
At Friday’s proceedings, A U Igwe appeared for the prosecution, while Joseph Daudu, SAN, represented the defendants.
Meanwhile Justice Abdulmalik voided the earlier bail granted to Malami in his money laundering trial before the court following the reassignment of the case.
The court held that since the matter had commenced afresh before it, all previous proceedings — including the bail earlier granted by Justice Emeka Nwite — were deemed terminated in law.
At the resumed hearing, the prosecution, led by J S Okutepa, applied that the pleas of the defendants be taken on the amended 16-count charge.
Malami, his son and wife, Asabe, each pleaded not guilty.
Following the plea, the defence urged the court to sustain 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, however, maintained that the new court had the discretion to either adopt the earlier conditions or impose fresh ones to ensure their attendance at trial.
Justice Abdulmalik ruled that where a case begins afresh due to reassignment, earlier proceedings are extinguished and directed the defence to file a formal bail application.
She adjourned the matter till March 6 for hearing of the bail application and commencement of trial.
The court ordered that Malami and his son be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, while his wife be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre.
