The Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has ordered the remand of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, alongside his wife and son, over alleged money laundering offenses involving more than N8.7 billion.
Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order on Tuesday, directing that Malami, his wife Hajia Bashir Asabe, and their son Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami be held at the Kuje Correctional Facility pending the hearing and determination of their bail application.
The trio was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a 16 count charge bordering on conspiracy, concealment, and laundering of proceeds allegedly linked to unlawful activities. The commission told the court that the total sum involved stands at N8,713,923,759.49.
At the start of proceedings, prosecution counsel Ekele Iheanacho informed the court that the case was scheduled for arraignment, urging that the charges filed on December 23, 2025 be read and pleas taken. Defense counsel J. B. Daudu raised no objection, paving the way for the formal reading of the charges.
The allegations outline a series of transactions spanning several years, involving corporate entities and bank accounts allegedly used to disguise the origin of funds. One count accuses Malami and his son of procuring a company to conceal over N1 billion through a Sterling Bank account between 2022 and 2025. Other counts allege coordinated transactions involving Meethaq Hotels Limited and Union Bank accounts, with sums running into billions of naira.
The case has drawn attention not only because of the scale of the alleged financial activities but also due to Malami’s former role as the nation’s chief law officer. His tenure placed him at the center of Nigeria’s legal and justice framework, making the current allegations particularly significant in the public eye.
The atmosphere in court was tense but orderly, with observers closely watching how the matter would unfold. The proceedings also sparked widespread discussion online, where reactions ranged from calls for accountability to debates about due process and the treatment of high-profile defendants.
Following the defendants’ not guilty pleas, the prosecution announced its readiness to proceed to trial and requested a trial date. Iheanacho also disclosed that the defense had served a bail application a day earlier, asking the court for time to respond formally.
The defense, however, pressed for immediate relief, urging the court to grant bail orally. Daudu argued that the offenses were bailable under the law and that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act does not require bail applications to be made in writing.
The prosecution strongly opposed the request, insisting that bail considerations must be supported by affidavit evidence. Iheanacho warned that granting oral bail would deny the prosecution a fair opportunity to respond, stressing that the case involves serious economic crimes with public interest implications.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite agreed that the prosecution must be allowed adequate time to respond to the bail application. He ordered the remand of all three defendants at the Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the case to January 2, 2026 for the hearing of the bail application.
As the legal battle begins, the case is expected to remain under intense public scrutiny, with its outcome likely to shape conversations around accountability, anti-corruption enforcement, and the handling of politically exposed persons in Nigeria’s justice system.
