The Department of State Services on Tuesday brought the immediate past Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and his son, Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations bordering on terrorism financing and unlawful possession of firearms.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on a charges relating to terrorism financing, aiding and abetting terrorism, as well as illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Both Malami and his son pleaded not guilty to all the charges read to them, according to ThisDay.
Court documents showed that Malami alone was listed in Count One, where he was accused of knowingly facilitating terrorism financing by allegedly failing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers whose case files were forwarded to his office during his tenure as Attorney General of the Federation. The alleged offence was said to be contrary to Section 26(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Counts Two to Five were jointly preferred against Malami and his son.
The DSS alleged that the two, in December 2025, unlawfully possessed a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 rounds of Redstar AAA 5.20 live ammunition and 27 expended cartridges at their residence in Gesse Phase II, Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The alleged offences were said to be in violation of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act, 2004.
After the defendants entered their pleas, the prosecuting counsel, Dr. C. S. Eze, urged the court to remand them in DSS custody pending the commencement of trial. In response, lead defence counsel, S. A. Alua, SAN, made an oral application seeking bail for the defendants.
Justice Abdulmalik, in her ruling, held that as a court of record, the Federal High Court could only consider a properly filed written application for bail.
She therefore declined to entertain the oral request.
The case was subsequently adjourned to February 20 for hearing of the bail application and possible commencement of trial.
