The immediate-past Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) has reportedly delayed the processing of his bail following a heavy security presence at the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja.
The move comes amid concerns that Department of State Services (DSS) operatives are allegedly preparing to rearrest him upon his release, stemming from an ongoing investigation related to terrorism financing.
Sources told SaharaReporters that the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) was placed under heightened security as over 50 DSS operatives were deployed to the facility on Wednesday, January 5, 2026. The operatives arrived in a convoy of six Toyota Hilux vans and established a perimeter around the prison gates, monitoring all entries and exits with increased scrutiny.
The operation is believed to be a preemptive measure to prevent any escape by Malami, who is being investigated for his alleged involvement in terrorism financing, despite having been granted bail in his ₦8.7 billion money laundering case by the Federal High Court in Abuja on January 3, 2026.
According to sources, Malami has instructed his legal team to delay his bail processing due to the looming threat of rearrest by DSS operatives.
A top security source stated, “Malami has slowed down his bail processing as DSS operatives besiege Kuje Prison to arrest him for terrorism-related charges upon being released on bail.”
Malami has been kept in the VIP segregation cell at the facility, a section of the prison known for housing high-profile detainees. The cell was previously refurbished by Abba Kyari, former police intelligence chief. Malami’s son, Abubakar Abdulaziz, who was also remanded at Kuje Prison, remains in the prison’s clinic after reportedly falling ill upon arrival.
The trio, including Malami’s wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on December 30, 2025, facing 16 counts of conspiracy, laundering proceeds of unlawful activities, and other related charges under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. They are accused of laundering over ₦8.7 billion.
Despite the EFCC’s charges, there are no formal terrorism financing charges against Malami, although sources have pointed to the ongoing investigation into his alleged links to the Abacha loot recovered from Switzerland and the Island of Jersey in the United Kingdom.
The court has granted bail to Malami and the other defendants in the sum of ₦500 million each, with specific conditions that include the provision of two sureties owning property in highbrow Abuja districts, the verification of their travel documents, and the submission of Malami’s own travel documents to the court. He has been barred from leaving the country without prior permission.