Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, on Monday surrendered to operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, ending a tense standoff that had lasted several days following his court-granted bail in a multi-billion-naira money laundering case.
The dramatic development comes after Malami, legally entitled to his freedom after fulfilling stringent bail conditions imposed by the Federal High Court in Abuja, remained confined at the prison amid heightened security and refusal to leave the facility, citing fears of immediate rearrest by security agencies.
It had previously reported that since the court granted Malami bail, operatives of the DSS maintained a security blockade around the prison, effectively preventing his release despite compliance with bail terms. Sources say more than 50 DSS operatives were deployed to strategic positions around the facility, monitoring all movements in and out of the prison.
The standoff escalated late last week when Malami’s son, Abdulaziz Malami, was rearrested by DSS operatives shortly after court bailiffs delivered fully processed bail documents to secure his release. According to sources, Malami had reportedly insisted that his son be quietly moved out of the prison, a proposal security officials viewed as irregular.
A source familiar with the incident told SaharaReporters: “This happened on Friday; the son was taken from bailiffs from the Federal High Court who brought fully processed bail papers but Malami refused to leave, urging that they sneak his son out. But the DSS profiled every car leaving and rearrested his son.”
The legal saga began in late December 2025, when Malami, his son Abdulaziz, and his fourth wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja on 16-count charges relating to conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing, and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities totalling approximately ₦8.7 billion.
Prosecutors allege Malami used corporate fronts and bank accounts to launder public funds during and after his tenure as the nation’s chief law officer. Among the alleged conduits were entities such as Metropolitan Auto Tech Ltd and Meethaq Hotels Ltd, which were reportedly involved in transactions intended to conceal the sources of funds and disguise their unlawful origin.
Once the bail was granted on January 7, 2026, Malami and his co-defendants met all conditions imposed by the court, including providing sureties with verifiable landed property and submitting their travel documents. Nevertheless, due to concerns about possible additional investigations, including alleged terrorism financing and other probes reportedly linked to DSS interests, Malami initially refused to leave Kuje Correctional Centre.
After several days of back-and-forth between Malami’s legal team and security agencies, the former AGF ultimately surrendered to the DSS on Monday, bringing an end to the tense standstill that had captured national attention. The circumstances surrounding his decision to surrender, including any legal assurances or negotiations with security officials, had not been fully disclosed at the time of reporting.
The case continues to unfold amid intense public and political interest, given Malami’s stature as one of the country’s most senior legal figures and his role in Nigeria’s justice system under the previous administration.
