Court Grants N200 Million Bail To Abubakar Malami, Wife And Son Pending Trial
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, his wife, Asabe Bashir, and their son, Abdulaziz Malami.
Presiding Judge Joyce Abdulmalik on Friday set bail at N200 million for each defendant, with two sureties of equal value. One surety is required to submit title documents for a property located in either Maitama or Asokoro, Abuja. The court also ordered that the defendants deposit their international passports.
Until these conditions are fulfilled, the Malami family will remain in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
Case Background
The family was re-arraigned on Friday following a reassignment of the case. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged them with 16 counts, alleging that between 2015 and 2025 they conspired to launder proceeds from unlawful activities. The agency claims the defendants used personal and corporate bank accounts to conceal the source and ownership of over N8.1 billion.
According to the EFCC, significant sums were routed through companies linked to the Malami family, including Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited and Meethaq Hotels Limited, using multiple commercial banks. The funds were reportedly structured to hide their illicit origin and evade regulatory oversight.
Part of the money, including approximately N600 million, was allegedly held as cash collateral for bank facilities, despite the defendants allegedly being aware—or reasonably expected to be aware—that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities.
The EFCC further accused the Malami family of using the money to acquire high-value residential and commercial properties in Abuja, Kano, and Kebbi states, either directly or through proxies, in an effort to disguise ownership. The agency claims the defendants conspired to maintain control of illicit funds, acquire assets indirectly, and conceal the true source of the money through a network of financial transactions and corporate entities.
