Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, returned to the Federal High Court on Friday, January 16, 2026, in a bid to resolve ongoing complications surrounding his bail conditions and secure his release from Kuje Correctional Centre, more than a week after meeting the stringent terms set by the court.
Malami’s appearance before Justice Emeka Nwite came as a surety initially involved in his bail processing reportedly threatened to withdraw from the agreement, despite the court having completed and signed off on the bail arrangement the previous day.
“A group of lawyers and loyalists of Malami returned to the Federal High Court on Friday, seeking the understanding of the judge to facilitate his unceremonious departure from Kuje Prison,” the source said. “It is understood that a surety wanted to pull out of the bail processing after it was completed and signed by the judge yesterday.”
Justice Nwite had last week granted bail to Malami, his wife, and his son in the sum of ₦500 million each, alongside strict conditions that included the submission of landed property documents and travel papers. Each defendant was required to present two sureties of equal sum, and the sureties themselves had to own landed property within Abuja districts including Asokoro, Maitama, or Gwarinpa.
The judge also ordered that the landed property documents be verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court, and that the defendants deposit their travel documents with the court, specifically directing that they must not travel outside Nigeria without court permission. The defendants and their sureties were further instructed to lodge two recent passport photographs each with the court registry.
Despite satisfying these conditions, Malami declined to leave the Kuje Correctional Centre, citing fears of immediate rearrest by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) once he left the facility.
According to insiders, Malami’s legal team had been directed to file an ex parte application seeking a protective order restraining security agencies, particularly the DSS, from rearresting him upon release. However, no such order had been granted by the court as of Friday, meaning Malami’s continued detention was, effectively, by personal choice rather than because of any active court directive.
Malami, his wife, and son were arraigned on 16 counts of conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing, and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to ₦8,713,923,759.49, charges the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Compounding his legal troubles, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 assets allegedly linked to Malami and his two sons, with the combined value of the properties, located in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna States, estimated at about ₦213,234,120,000. Claimants, including Malami and his family, have 14 days to provide evidence that the properties were lawfully acquired, failing which the assets may be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
Adding another layer to his predicament, sources indicate that the DSS is conducting a separate probe into arms and ammunition discovered at Malami’s country residence in Kebbi State. Those weapons were reportedly uncovered by the EFCC during its search but were transferred to the DSS for further investigation because illegal arms possession falls outside the anti-graft agency’s statutory mandate.
As of Friday’s proceedings, it remained unclear what specific orders, if any, Justice Nwite issued regarding Malami’s attempt to expedite his release. No official court ruling was publicly announced by the close of business, leaving observers and legal analysts watching closely for the next developments in one of the highest-profile legal sagas involving a former top government official.
