A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, his son Abdulaziz Malami, and an associate, Hajia Bashir Asabe, at the Kuje Correctional Facility over alleged money laundering.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order on Tuesday after the defendants were arraigned on a 16-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The charges border on large-scale money laundering and the alleged illegal acquisition of properties valued at over N8.7 billion.
Ruling on an oral bail application by defence counsel, Justice Nwite declined the request, saying granting bail at that stage would amount to an ambush, as a formal written bail application had already been filed. He subsequently adjourned the case to January 2, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application.
The defendants all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to the EFCC, Malami, his son, and Bashir Asabe conspired to conceal and retain proceeds of unlawful activities through multiple bank accounts, corporate entities, and high-value real estate transactions over nearly a decade. The alleged offences were said to have occurred between 2015 and 2025, mainly in Abuja, during Malami’s tenure as Attorney-General.
The anti-graft agency alleged that Malami and his son used a company, Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited, to conceal N1.014 billion in a Sterling Bank account between July 2022 and June 2025, in addition to another N600.01 million allegedly deposited between September 2020 and February 2021.
Properties listed in the charge include a luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Maitama, bought for N500 million; a property on Onitsha Crescent, Garki, acquired for N700 million; and another in Jabi District valued at N850 million. Other properties are said to be located in Maitama, Asokoro, and Gwarimpa, with values ranging from N120 million to N430 million.
The EFCC further claimed that Malami used illicit proceeds totaling about N952 million to acquire several properties in Abuja, Kano, and Birnin Kebbi between 2018 and 2023, allegedly using proxies and corporate fronts to conceal ownership.
Bashir Asabe, an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd, was accused of playing a key role in facilitating the property transactions and disguising Malami’s interest in them.
The commission said the alleged offences contravene provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, adding that it would call investigators, bank officials, bureau de change operators, and company representatives as witnesses during the trial.
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