Abuja – Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and officials of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) clashed in a tense standoff at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, creating chaos at the trial of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
The incident stemmed from a dispute over jurisdictional control and security protocol for the high-profile defendant. Both agencies, visibly armed, engaged in heated arguments and threats at the entrance of the courtroom over who had the primary responsibility for Malami’s custody and the security of the premises during the proceedings.
An eyewitness account described a dangerously escalating situation where officials from both sides threatened to use their firearms, shouting and jostling for position as they attempted to control access to the courtroom. The standoff forced a temporary disruption to the court’s activities and heightened anxiety among lawyers, journalists, and other attendees.
The confusion impacted media coverage, as officials from both agencies jointly restricted access, barring some journalists from entering the courtroom on the grounds that it had reached capacity.
Malami, alongside his son, Abdulaziz, and another individual, Asabe Bashir, is being tried on charges of alleged fraud. He had been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre by a court order on December 30, pending a hearing on his bail application scheduled for January 2.
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