Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over fresh allegations bordering on terrorism financing.
Gatekeepers News reports that security sources said Malami was taken into custody on Monday shortly after his release from the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, where he had been remanded over an ongoing money laundering trial.
According to the sources, DSS operatives picked up Malami immediately after he exited the correctional facility.
Officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service confirmed that Malami was released after perfecting his bail conditions. However, efforts to obtain official confirmation from the DSS were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
Malami’s release followed the granting of bail on January 7, 2026, by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja. The court granted bail to Malami, his wife, Asabe, and his son in the sum of ₦500 million each, with strict conditions.
The court ordered each defendant to provide two sureties with verifiable landed property in Asokoro, Maitama, or Gwarimpa, deposit title documents with the court, submit affidavits of means, surrender their international passports, and obtain court permission before travelling abroad.
Malami, his wife, and his son were remanded at Kuje following their arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on December 29, 2025, on 16 counts of alleged money laundering involving about ₦8.7 billion. The EFCC alleged that the defendants used multiple corporate entities, bank accounts, and high-value real estate transactions to conceal proceeds of unlawful activities.
Alleged bias claims
Amid his legal battle with the anti-graft agency, Malami had earlier called for the recusal of the EFCC Chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede, from all matters relating to him, citing alleged bias and conflict of interest.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Mohammed Bello, Malami described the EFCC chairman’s continued involvement in his case as “legally untenable, morally indefensible, and constitutionally impermissible,” referencing Chapter 9 of the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry Report.
According to the statement, Malami, while serving as Attorney-General, supervised the establishment of the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of office within the EFCC. It noted that Olukoyede served as secretary to the commission.
The statement further claimed that Chapter 9 of the Salami Report addressed the conduct of senior EFCC officials, creating what it described as “personal and professional exposure” for individuals now exercising prosecutorial authority over Malami.
EFCC responds
Responding to the allegations, EFCC Chairman Olanipekun Olukoyede said investigations carried out by the commission were not politically motivated.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Channels Television, Olukoyede said the probe into Malami was not targeted at members of the opposition and predated his tenure as EFCC chairman.
“Let me tell you about that particular former attorney-general that you are talking about — there is nothing personal in this matter,” Olukoyede said during the Sunday Politics programme aired on January 11.
“If Nigeria is to move forward, all of us must agree that this fight must be fought without being partisan.”
He added: “The investigation of this man predated me in office. Yes, I edited the investigation file. What I did was to ensure that the investigation was carried out in a very professional and thorough manner.”
