Court Issues Split Bail Rulings for Malami, Wife, Son in Fraud, Terror, Arms Cases

A Federal High Court in Abuja has delivered separate bail decisions affecting former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, his wife Asabe, and their son Abdulazeez, following fresh proceedings bordering on alleged fraud, terrorism financing and unlawful possession of firearms.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik issued the rulings on Thursday after the trio was re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged N8.7 billion fraud case.

Fraud Charge: Bail Application Deferred

At the proceedings, defence counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), informed the court that Justice Emeka Nwite had earlier granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500 million each on January 7, and that the bail conditions had been perfected.

However, Justice Abdulmalik held that the earlier proceedings were no longer valid, noting that Justice Nwite had sat as a vacation judge at the time and that the case file had since been reassigned to a regular court.

The judge declined to entertain an oral application for bail, directing that a formal application be filed instead.

Following the ruling, Malami and his son were remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre, while his wife, Asabe, was ordered remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre in Niger State. The court fixed March 6 for hearing of the bail application in the fraud case.

Terrorism, Firearms Charges: N200m Bail Granted

In a separate ruling the same day, Justice Abdulmalik granted Malami and his son bail in the sum of N200 million each in a five-count charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS), marked FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026.

The charges include alleged terrorism financing and illegal possession of firearms. Among the allegations are claims that Malami failed to prosecute suspected terror financiers during his tenure as Attorney-General and that a Sturm Magnum firearm, 16 live rounds of ammunition and 27 expended cartridges were allegedly found at their residence in Kebbi State without proper authorization.

The court ordered that each defendant must provide two sureties who own landed property in Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja, submit valid title documents, swear to affidavits of means, and deposit their international passports with the court registry.

Despite the bail grant in the DSS case, Malami and his son are to remain in custody at Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of their bail conditions. Trial in the matter is scheduled to commence on March 4.