ABUJA, NIGERIA — In a stunning judicial reversal that has caught the legal community off guard, a Federal High Court in Abuja has voided the bail earlier granted to former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, and his son, Abdulaziz. The pair were immediately ordered to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of a fresh application.
The drama unfolded on Friday, February 27, 2026, just hours after the defendants appeared to have secured a reprieve in their high-stakes legal battle.
From Reprieve to Remand
The morning had initially brought positive news for the Malami family, with reports indicating a ₦200 million bail each under stringent conditions. However, the legal landscape shifted during the afternoon session of the ₦8.7 billion money laundering trial.
The presiding judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, citing procedural inconsistencies and the gravity of the 16-count charge—which includes illegal property acquisition and the concealment of proceeds of crime—ruled that the earlier bail conditions were inadequate. The court effectively voided the release order, mandating that both the former AGF and his son remain in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
The ₦8.7 Billion Web
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleges that Malami used his position as the nation’s chief law officer to facilitate a massive money laundering scheme.
- The Charges: The 16-count charge details the acquisition of luxury properties and the movement of billions of naira through proxies and shell companies.
- The Defense: Malami’s legal team has dismissed the charges as “politically motivated,” yet they now face the uphill task of filing a fresh bail application from within the walls of Kuje prison.
A Selective Purge or True Accountability?
The remand of Malami and his son has reignited the fierce national debate over “selective justice” within the Abuja “regency.” NNPP chieftain Buba Galadima recently challenged the administration’s moral authority, asking why the “Buhari cabal” is being targeted while current officials accused of stealing ₦500 billion remain in power.
“You don’t know that Malami is in prison?” Galadima remarked earlier this week. “Which of these people in the APC can swear by the Quran that they haven’t done worse?”
A Nation Distracted by Trials?
As Malami returns to Kuje, the broader security and humanitarian crises across Nigeria continue to escalate:
- The Northern Insecurity: Governor Bala Mohammed is still pleading for help against 10,000 armed bandits in Bauchi, and Lakurawa terrorists are operating with impunity in Kebbi.
- The Hunger Crisis: The United Nations has warned of a $347 million aid shortfall, with 150 million Nigerians unable to eat well.
With the ruling party now boasting a 30-governor supermajority following Governor Fintiri’s defection, and the move for State Police gaining constitutional momentum, the Malami trial is seen by some as a necessary cleansing and by others as a smokescreen for a consolidation of power. For now, the man who once oversaw the nation’s laws finds himself subject to their harshest interpretation.
