A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has admitted former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and his son, Abdulaziz Malami, to bail at N200 million each, following their arraignment on charges bordering on terrorism financing and unlawful possession of firearms.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who presided over Friday’s proceedings, granted the bail applications filed separately on behalf of the defendants, noting that the primary purpose of bail is to secure the attendance of accused persons at trial not to punish them ahead of any conviction.
Each defendant is required to produce two sureties who must also bind themselves in the sum of N200 million. At least one of the sureties must own a developed property in either Maitama or Asokoro two of Abuja’s high-value districts — and must deposit the original title document with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court. All sureties are additionally required to depose to affidavits of means and submit recent passport photographs.
Both Malami and his son were ordered to surrender their international passports to the court. Until all bail conditions are fully perfected, the court directed that they remain in custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre. The matter was adjourned to March 4, 2026, when trial is expected to formally commence.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026, was initiated by the Department of State Services, which filed a five-count charge against the father-son pair. The DSS alleges that Malami, during his tenure as AGF and Minister of Justice, knowingly aided terrorism financing in November 2022 by failing to prosecute suspects whose case files had been forwarded to his office for action.
Beyond the conduct-in-office allegation, prosecutors also accuse both defendants of engaging in conduct preparatory to terrorism as recently as December 2025. Specifically, they are alleged to have been found in possession of a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, alongside 16 live Redstar AAA cartridges and 27 spent casings, at their residence in the Gesse Phase II area of Birnin Kebbi Local Government, Kebbi State.
The charges are said to contravene the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022 as well as the Firearms Act of 2004. Both defendants entered pleas of not guilty at a previous sitting.
At Friday’s hearing, the prosecution was represented by A.U. Igwe, while senior advocate J.B. Daudu appeared for the defendants and urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms. The prosecution, for its part, indicated that the case file had been transmitted to the Department of Public Prosecution and expressed readiness to proceed to trial.
Malami served as Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice under former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2015 to 2023. His arraignment on terrorism-related charges marks one of the most high-profile prosecutions involving a former top law officer in the country’s recent history.
