In a dramatic development at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, marking a notable moment in Nigeria’s ongoing campaign against high-level financial crimes.
Malami, a prominent figure in Nigeria’s legal and political circles, is facing a 16-count charge of alleged money laundering alongside his son, Abdulaziz Malami, and an associate, Hajia Bashir Asabe. The charges were filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwike, ordered that the defendants be remanded in custody pending the hearing of their formal bail application, scheduled for January 2, 2026. The court declined an oral application for bail, ruling that the EFCC, which opposed the request, must first be allowed to file its counter-affidavit.
According to the prosecution, the case centres on an alleged nine billion laundering scheme carried out through complex financial transactions and the use of corporate entities as fronts. The EFCC alleges that the funds were used to acquire high-value properties in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and other locations across the country.
Court filings further allege that between July 2022 and June 2025, the defendants used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal more than N1.01 billion in a Sterling Bank account. Investigators also claim that about N600 million was siphoned between September 2020 and February 2021. In another transaction cited by the EFCC, the defendants allegedly retained N600 million as collateral for a N500 million loan extended to Rayhaan Hotels Ltd in March 2021, despite allegedly knowing that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.
As the case unfolds, it raises questions about accountability in public office, the mechanisms through which vast wealth is accumulated, and the effectiveness of Nigeria’s anti-corruption institutions in pursuing politically exposed persons.
As African Media and Communications Consulting continues to track this case, one critical question remains: does this prosecution signal a new era of accountability for Nigeria’s political elite, or will it ultimately test the limits of the country’s anti-corruption resolve?
#NigeriaNews #AntiCorruption #JudiciaryWatch #AfricanMedia
Leave a Reply