A team of lawyers and loyalists of the embattled former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, on Friday returned to the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking the understanding of the trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, to facilitate his release from the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Naijaonpoint reports that the move followed reports that a surety involved in Malami’s bail process had threatened to withdraw, despite the bail having been completed and signed by the court a day earlier.
A source familiar with the development told SaharaReporters that the legal team approached the court to avoid complications that could further delay Malami’s release.
The source said, “A group of lawyers and loyalists of Malami returned to the Federal High Court on Friday, seeking the understanding of the judge to facilitate his unceremonious departure from Kuje Prison.
“It is understood that a surety wanted to pull out of the bail processing after it was completed and signed by the judge yesterday.”
As of the close of proceedings on Friday, it remained unclear what decision, if any, the court reached.
However, a legal practitioner familiar with the matter said the objective of the visit was to ensure that the former AGF could leave custody with the understanding of the judge and without complications.
Court Granted Bail With Strict Conditions
Recall that Justice Nwite had last week granted Malami, his wife and son bail in the sum of ₦500m each, with stringent conditions.
The court ordered that each defendant must provide two sureties in like sum, who must own landed property in Asokoro, Maitama or Gwarinpa areas of Abuja.
Justice Nwite also directed that property documents should be verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court, sureties depose to an affidavit of means, defendants submit travel documents and obtain court permission before travelling and two recent passport photographs must be submitted by each defendant and surety.
Despite reportedly meeting all bail conditions, Malami was said to have refused to leave Kuje Prison, citing fears of immediate rearrest by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Sources disclosed that the former minister instructed his lawyers to seek an ex parte order restraining security agencies, particularly the DSS, from arresting him upon release. However, no such protective order was granted.
A source said Malami believed that remaining in custody was safer than risking an immediate rearrest.
“His continued stay at the correctional centre is by personal choice, not because of any subsisting court order,” the source said.
Malami is also reportedly facing a separate investigation by the DSS following the discovery of arms and ammunition at his country home in Kebbi State.
Although the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) uncovered the weapons during a search of his residence, the agency reportedly handed them over to the DSS, as arms-related offences fall outside its statutory mandate.
While the exact quantity of the recovered weapons could not be confirmed, sources said it was substantial enough to warrant a full-scale DSS investigation.
Earlier, on December 30, 2025, the EFCC arraigned Malami alongside Asabe and Abdulaziz before Justice Nwite on a 16-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering amounting to ₦8.71bn, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 assets allegedly linked to Malami and his two sons, valued at about ₦213.23bn.
The court granted the defendants a 14-day window to show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The forfeiture was ordered under the Non-Conviction Asset Forfeiture provisions of the EFCC Establishment Act, following the commission’s application over properties located in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and Kebbi.