Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has delayed the processing of his bail following the heavy deployment of operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) to the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja, SaharaReporters has learnt.
SaharaReporters earlier on Thursday reported that Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) had been placed under a heavy security blanket as over 50 DSS operatives took up strategic positions around the facility beginning Wednesday.
Sources have described an intense atmosphere at the prison facility as the secret police arrived in a convoy of approximately six Toyota Hilux vans.
The operatives established a perimeter around the prison gates, monitoring all entries and exits with heightened scrutiny.
Sources described the deployment as a preemptive move to ensure that Malami, being held at the facility does not escape an investigation into terrorism financing, especially after he was granted bail by the Federal High Court in Abuja in his N8.7 billion money laundering case on Wednesday.
According to sources familiar with the development, Malami, therefore, instructed his legal team to slow down the bail process amid fears that DSS operatives were prepared to rearrest him immediately upon his release in connection with an ongoing investigation linked to alleged terrorism financing.
“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 said.
“The former attorney general has told his lawyers to step down his bail processing as over 50 DSS officers lay siege to the prison compound waiting to pounce on him.”
It was gathered that the former Attorney General has remained inside the facility’s VIP segregation cell, a section of the prison reportedly refurbished by former police intelligence chief, Abba Kyari. The cell has in the past housed other high-profile detainees.
“Malami has remained holed up in the VIP segregation cell that was refurbished by the disgraced super cop Abba Kyari and recently hosted Prince Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother of imprisoned IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) leader, Nnamdi Kanu,” one of the sources said.
Meanwhile, Abubakar Abdulaziz, Malami’s son, who was remanded at Kuje Prison alongside his father and the latter’s fourth wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, is still at the prison’s clinic.
Last Tuesday, SaharaReporters reported that Abdulaziz was rushed to the prison’s clinic after he “suddenly fell ill”.
Abdulaziz, who had complained of ill health shortly after their arrival at the facility, was subsequently admitted for observation.
“Malami’s son remains at the clinic of the prison after he feigned illness upon arrival at Kuje,” a source said.
Earlier on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, the EFCC arraigned Malami alongside Asabe, and Abdulaziz, before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja.
The defendants face a 16-count charge of conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing, and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to ₦8,713,923,759.49, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
On Wednesday, Justice Nwite granted bail to Malami, and the two other defendants in the sum of ₦500 million each, with two sureties.
The court ruled that the sureties must own landed property in highbrow Abuja districts, including Asokoro, Maitama or Gwarinpa, and are required to deposit their travel documents with the court.
Justice Nwite further ordered that the property documents be verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court, while the sureties must also swear to affidavits of means.
In addition, Malami was directed to submit his travel documents to the court and was barred from leaving the country without prior permission of the court.
Background
Malami has been under scrutiny by Nigerian security agencies over alleged links to financial flows connected to terrorism, although he has not been formally charged with terrorism financing.
In December, when the EFCC detained Malami, sources said the investigation was linked to terrorism financing and the whereabouts of Abacha loot recovered from Switzerland and the Island of Jersey in the United Kingdom.
However, terrorism financing was not included in the charges later filed by the EFCC.
Retired Nigerian Army General Danjuma Ali-Keffi, who led a counter-terrorism task force, Operation Service Wide (OSW), disclosed that investigations into Boko Haram’s financiers exposed a network allegedly involving senior military officers, top financial officials, and government figures.
Documents indicate that OSW, working with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), arrested several suspects in March 2021, some of whom were linked to former Army Chiefs Tukur Buratai and Faruk Yahaya, former Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, and Malami.
Ali-Keffi clarified that he was not accusing any of these individuals of terrorism financing but noted that investigations linked them to some of the suspects.
He also alleged that Malami interfered with the investigation by removing a key prosecutor and reportedly influenced the handling and release of certain suspects.
Ali-Keffi claimed that these actions undermined the operation, leading to reprisals against him, including unlawful detention and forced retirement, and that he sought international protection for himself and his family.