Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), was reportedly subjected to a raid on Tuesday at his VIP segregation cell in the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, Abuja.
Sources within the facility told Sahara Reporters that the operation was carried out by a senior officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service, identified as the Assistant Controller-General of Corrections in charge of Operations.
“Malami was raided in his apartment today by a senior correctional service officer, the ACG Operations. And likewise, his son,” one of the sources disclosed.
An eyewitness said the senior officer briefly entered the custodial centre, conducted the raid on Malami’s cell as well as that of his son, Abdulaziz, and later left the facility. Details of the purpose of the operation or any items recovered were not immediately made public.
The development comes amid reports that Malami has yet to perfect the bail conditions granted to him by the court, as security agencies intensify investigations around him.
It was earlier reported that the former minister is under a separate probe by the Department of State Services following the alleged discovery of arms and ammunition at his residence in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission were said to have uncovered the weapons during a search of the property. However, because illegal arms possession falls outside the EFCC’s mandate, the items were reportedly handed over to the DSS for a comprehensive investigation.
Although the exact quantity of the arms could not be confirmed, sources said the recovery was significant enough to warrant a full-scale security probe.
Malami, who was granted bail last week alongside his son, Abdulaziz, and his wife, Asabe Bashir, remains in custody at Kuje, having failed to meet the bail conditions imposed by the court.
Security sources had earlier alleged that the former minister deliberately slowed down the bail process to avoid possible re-arrest by the DSS in connection with the arms-related investigation.
“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,” a top security source was quoted as saying.
The source added that over 50 DSS operatives were deployed around the custodial centre as a pre-emptive measure to ensure Malami did not evade further investigations.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja last week ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 assets allegedly linked to Malami and his two sons.
The properties, valued at about ₦213.23bn, are located across Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and Kebbi states. The court granted Malami and other interested parties 14 days to appear and show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.