Court Remands Ex-AGF Abubakar Malami, Son, Wife in Kuje Prison Over ₦8.7bn Money Laundering Charges

By Kparobo Ehvwubare
Abuja- A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, ordered the remand of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), at the Kuje Correctional Centre over alleged money laundering offences.

The court also remanded Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, his son, and Hajia Bashir Asabe, identified in court documents as his wife and associate.
The order was issued by Justice Emeka Nwite following submissions from defence counsel Joseph Daudu (SAN) and prosecution counsel Ekele Iheneacho (SAN) during the defendants’ arraignment.

EFCC Files 16-Count Charge

Malami and his co-defendants are standing trial on a 16-count charge of money laundering brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to the anti-graft agency, the defendants allegedly conspired at different times to conceal, retain and disguise proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to approximately ₦8.7 billion, with some estimates in the ongoing investigation reportedly exceeding that figure.

Alleged Properties and Financial Transactions
Court documents allege that the offences span several years and involved:
The use of companies and bank accounts to launder funds
Retention of large cash sums as collateral for loans
Acquisition of high-value properties in Abuja, Kano and other locations across the country
The EFCC further claims that some of the alleged offences were committed while Malami was serving as Attorney-General of the Federation, in violation of Nigeria’s money laundering laws.

Relevant Laws Cited
The charges are said to contravene provisions of:
The Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended)
The Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Defendants Plead Not Guilty
All three defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read in court.
Justice Nwite subsequently ordered their remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of their bail applications.
The case has been adjourned to a later date for further proceedings.