DSS arrests Malami after release from Kuje prison

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on fresh allegations linked to terrorism financing. Security sources disclosed that Malami, who is standing trial before a Federal High Court on money laundering charges, was taken into custody shortly after being released from Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja on Monday, January 19. According to the sources, DSS operatives picked him up immediately after he exited the facility.

Officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service confirmed that Malami was released after meeting stringent bail conditions. Efforts to obtain formal comments from the DSS had not been successful at the time of filing this report.

Malami’s release followed the Federal High Court’s decision on January 7, 2026, in which Justice Emeka Nwite granted bail to Malami, his wife, and his son at ₦500 million each with strict conditions. Each defendant was required to provide two sureties with verifiable landed property in Asokoro, Maitama, or Gwarimpa, surrender all property documents to the court, and submit affidavits of means. They were also ordered to surrender their passports and barred from travelling abroad without prior permission.

Malami, his wife Asabe, and his son had been remanded at Kuje after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned them on December 29, 2025, on a 16-count charge of money laundering involving about ₦8.7bn. The EFCC alleged that the defendants used corporate entities, multiple bank accounts, and high-value real estate transactions to conceal proceeds of unlawful activities.

Amid his legal troubles, Malami accused EFCC Chairman Olanipekun Olukoyede of bias and demanded his recusal from all matters involving him. In a statement by his media aide, Mohammed Bello, Malami argued that the EFCC chairman’s involvement was “legally untenable, morally indefensible, and constitutionally impermissible,” citing Chapter 9 of the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry Report. The statement noted that while serving as Attorney-General, Malami oversaw the establishment of the Salami Commission, where the current EFCC chairman served as secretary. According to Malami, the report created “personal and professional exposure” for individuals now overseeing his prosecution.

Responding in an interview aired on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics on January 11, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede rejected claims of political targeting, insisting that the case was not partisan. He said the investigation predated his tenure, adding that he merely edited the investigation file and ensured the probe was “professional and thorough.” “If Nigeria is to move forward, all of us must agree that this fight must be fought without being partisan,” he said