Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and an associate, Hajia Bashir Asabe, at the Kuje Correctional Facility pending the hearing and determination of their bail application.
The order followed an oral bail application made by counsel to the defendants. Justice Nwite declined the request, ruling that granting bail at that stage would amount to an ambush, as the defence had already filed a written bail application before the court.
After the defendants pleaded not guilty to the 16-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering, the trial judge adjourned the matter to January 2, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application.
Malami, his son, and Asabe were arraigned on Tuesday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which accused them of large-scale money laundering and the illegal acquisition of properties valued at over ₦8.7 billion. The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, alleged that the defendants conspired to conceal, disguise, and retain proceeds of unlawful activities.
According to the EFCC, the alleged offences were committed between 2015 and 2025, mainly within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, during Malami’s tenure as Attorney General of the Federation. The commission alleged that the defendants used multiple bank accounts, corporate entities, and high-value real estate transactions over nearly a decade to launder illicit funds.
The prosecution claimed that Malami and his son used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal ₦1.014 billion in a Sterling Bank account between July 2022 and June 2025, in addition to an alleged ₦600.01 million deposited between September 2020 and February 2021.
The EFCC further listed several properties allegedly acquired with unlawful proceeds, including a luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Maitama, bought for ₦500 million; a property on Onitsha Crescent, Garki, purchased for ₦700 million; and another in Jabi District valued at ₦850 million. Other properties cited include real estate on Rhine Street, Maitama, worth ₦430 million; properties in Asokoro District valued at ₦210 million and ₦325 million; and a property at Efab Estate, Gwarimpa, acquired for ₦120 million.
The commission also alleged that Malami used unlawful proceeds totaling ₦952 million to acquire properties in Abuja, Kano, and Birnin Kebbi between 2018 and 2023, allegedly through proxies and corporate entities to conceal ownership.
Hajia Bashir Asabe, described as an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd, was accused of playing a key role in facilitating the property transactions and disguising ownership on Malami’s behalf.
The EFCC 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 trial.
