The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, alongside his son, Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, on a five-count charge bordering on terrorism financing and illegal possession of firearms.
The charges were filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the DSS accused Malami of knowingly abetting terrorism financing by allegedly refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers whose case files were submitted to him during his tenure as Attorney General.
Both Malami and his son were also accused of unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition at their residence in Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of Kebbi State, without lawful authority.
According to the charge sheet, the defendants allegedly had in their possession a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of cartridges, and 27 expended cartridges, in violation of provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act, 2004.
When the charges were read, both defendants pleaded not guilty. Following their plea, the prosecuting counsel, Calistus Eze, urged the court to remand them in DSS custody and fix a date for the commencement of trial.
In response, defence counsel, Shuaibu Aruwan (SAN), made an oral application for bail, arguing that the defendants had already spent over two weeks in DSS custody. However, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik rejected the oral application, stating that bail applications must be formally filed before a court of record.
The judge consequently ordered that Malami and his son be remanded in DSS custody and adjourned the matter until February 20 for the commencement of trial.
The DSS detailed in the charge that Malami allegedly committed the offence of terrorism financing in November 2022 while serving at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Maitama, Abuja. The firearms-related offences were said to have occurred in December 2025 at the defendants’ Kebbi residence.
