The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and his son, Abdulaziz, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of terrorism financing and unlawful possession of firearms.
The defendants were brought before the court on Tuesday on a five-count charge under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The charges relate to alleged terrorism-related offences and illegal arms possession.
According to the DSS, Malami is accused of aiding terrorism financing during his tenure as AGF by deliberately failing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers whose case files were forwarded to his office. One of the charges alleges that in November 2022, at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Maitama, Abuja, Malami knowingly obstructed the prosecution of terror suspects, an offence punishable under Section 26(2) of the Act.
The secret police also accused Malami and his son of engaging in preparatory acts of terrorism through the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition at their residence in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State. Prosecutors alleged that the defendants were found with a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 live Redstar AAA 5’20 cartridges, and 27 expended cartridges without a valid licence, contrary to Section 29 of the Act.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Following their plea, DSS counsel, Calistus Eze, asked the court to remand the defendants in DSS custody and fix a date for trial. Defence counsel, Shuaibu Aruwan, orally applied for bail, arguing that the defendants had already spent over two weeks in detention. However, the presiding judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, rejected the oral application and directed the defence to file a formal bail request.
Justice Abdulmalik subsequently ordered that Malami and his son be remanded in DSS custody and adjourned the matter to February 20 for further hearing.
Malami was arrested on January 19 by DSS operatives at the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, shortly after meeting bail conditions in a separate money-laundering case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC had earlier arraigned Malami, his son, and his wife on a 16-count charge of money laundering involving ₦8.71 billion, alleging that between 2015 and 2025 they conspired to launder proceeds of unlawful activities through multiple bank accounts and corporate entities, concealing over ₦8.1 billion.
