ABUJA, Nigeria— Former Attorney-General and Justice Minister Abubakar Malami and his son, Abdulaziz Malami, were granted bail on Friday in a terrorism-related case filed by Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS), but Malami remained in custody because of a separate money-laundering case brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). A Federal High Court in Abuja fixed bail at 200 million naira each — about $147,000 — and adjourned the terrorism case to May 4.
The DSS case was first filed earlier this month and centers on a five-count charge. According to Reuters and Nigerian media reports, prosecutors accuse Malami of knowingly abetting terrorism financing by allegedly refusing, while serving as attorney general, to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers whose case files had been forwarded to his office in November 2022. Malami and his son were also charged with terrorism-related firearms offences tied to an unlicensed pistol and ammunition allegedly found at their home. Both men have pleaded not guilty.
Malami’s lawyer, Adedayo Adedeji, said Friday’s hearing concerned the DSS matter and confirmed that the defendants had earlier entered not-guilty pleas. Nigerian reports said Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted bail after hearing the application, but imposed conditions including sureties, passport surrender and other compliance requirements.
The terrorism case comes months after the EFCC filed a separate 16-count money-laundering and unlawful asset-acquisition case against Malami, his wife and his son. Reuters reported in December that the anti-graft agency accused them of laundering public funds and unlawfully acquiring assets worth roughly $6 million. Although Malami had previously secured bail in that case, Punch reported Friday that the court later voided the bail order, which is why he was remanded again despite winning bail in the DSS prosecution.
Malami served as attorney general and justice minister from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, making him one of the most senior ex-officials from that administration to face trial. The allegations also land in a country still grappling with a long insurgency that has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced nearly 2 million, a backdrop that makes terrorism-financing charges especially sensitive.
