Malami, wife, son’s detention in prison extended as court postpones bail ruling

After Friday's bail hearing, the Kuje Correctional Centre officials took the defendants back to custody, where they will remain till 7 January scheduled for ruling.

The detention of the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and two of his relatives, was extended by five days on Friday, after the Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned ruling on their bail application.

Trial judge Emeka Nwite, on Friday, scheduled the bail ruling for 7 January (Wednesday) after a hearing.

As of Friday morning, Mr Malami alongside his son, Abdulaziz Malami, and one of his wives, Asabe Bashir, had already spent three nights at the Correctional Centre in Kuje, Abuja, following their arraignment on money laundering charges on 30 December 2025 (Tuesday).

After their arraignment, the judge remanded them in prison pending the hearing of their bail application scheduled for Friday.

With the bail ruling now scheduled for 7 January, the trio may have to spend at least eight days altogether in prison if their bail application eventually succeeds.

The ongoing detention period is separate from the time they had spent in EFCC custody prior their arraignment.

The family members were brought to court for arraignment on 30 December from EFCC custody. While Mr Malami spent 22 nights in EFCC custody, from when he was detained by the anti-corruption an 8 December, his wife and son spent about a week there, between 23 December and when they were arraigned on 30 December.

After Friday’s bail hearing, the Kuje Correctional Centre officials took the defendants back to custody, where they will remain till 7 January scheduled for ruling.

During the hearing, EFCC’s lawyer opposed the defendants’ bail application. But the defence lawyer argued that the offences were bailable and urged the judge to consider Mr Malami’s status as a former AGF to grant the defendants bail on liberal terms.

In the 16 counts brought against them, the EFCC accused them of money laundering involving N8.7 billion of alleged illegitimately acquired assets.

The charges accused the defendants of shady acquisitions and concealment of the origins of multi-billion-naira worth of assets, in Abuja, Kano and Kebbi.

Already, EFCC has traced more than N200 billion worth of assets, including a university, hotel, and residential houses, among others, to Mr Malami in the three locations.

The charges described Mr Malami’s wife, Ms Bashir, as an employee of a firm linked to the former minister, Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd, which is alleged to have played key roles in the alleged money laundering scheme.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to all 16 counts.

…More details later.