Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney-General of the Federation, was taken back into custody on Monday in a dramatic turn of events, shortly after he had been released from the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) intercepted Malami outside the prison gates just as he had completed the process of meeting his bail conditions.
Malami, along with his wife, Bashir Asabe, and his son, Abdulaziz, had been remanded in Kuje since December 30, 2025, following their arraignment on a 16-count charge of money laundering brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Their release came after the court’s bail requirements were satisfied, but it was brief.
The fresh arrest is connected to a separate, high-level national security investigation. This probe was triggered last month when EFCC operatives, during a search of Malami’s country home in Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State, discovered a cache of firearms. That discovery was referred to the DSS, which holds the mandate for internal security matters.
The former minister now faces a complex two-front legal battle: the original money laundering case, for which a bail hearing was scheduled for January 2, and this new investigation into the origin and purpose of the arms found at his property. The DSS is expected to question him thoroughly, with the potential for new charges related to illegal firearm possession.
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