Malami and son in court
By Abdullahi Abubakar
The Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday arraigned former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) and his son, Abdulaziz, on a five-count charge of terrorism and illegal firearms possession.
Malami and his son were arraigned on a five-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja, in a case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026.
Malami is also accused of refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers whose case files were allegedly forwarded to him while he served as Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
Both Malami and his son are further accused of unlawfully warehousing firearms in their residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of Kebbi State, without lawful authority.
According to court documents, Malami is charged in count one with knowingly abetting terrorism financing.
In counts two to five, the former AGF and his son are accused of unlawful possession of a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, sixteen Redstar AAA 5.20 live rounds of cartridges and twenty-seven expended Redstar AAA 5.20 cartridges.
The alleged offences are said to be contrary to and punishable under relevant provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act, 2004.
Malami and Abdulaziz pleaded not guilty when the counts were read to them.
Prosecuting counsel, Calistus Eze, urged the court to remand the defendants in the custody of the DSS and fix a date for the commencement of trial.
Defence counsel, Shuaibu Aruwan (SAN), made an oral bail application, arguing that the defendants had already been held in DSS custody for over two weeks.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik rejected the oral bail application, noting that the Federal High Court is a court of record and that bail applications must be formally filed.
She consequently ordered that the defendants be remanded in DSS custody and adjourned the matter till February 20 for the commencement of the trial.
The counts in the charge read, in part:
• That you, Abubakar Malami of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adult, male, sometime in November 2022 at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Maitama, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly abet terrorism financing by refusing to prosecute terrorism financiers whose case files were brought to your office as Attorney-General of the Federation for prosecution, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 26(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
• That you, Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adults, males, sometime in December 2025, in your residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did engage in conduct preparatory to committing an act of terrorism by having in your possession, without licence, a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5.20 live rounds of cartridges and twenty-seven (27) expended Redstar AAA 5.20 cartridges, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 29 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
• That you, Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, sometime in December 2025, in your residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without licence, had in your possession a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 3 of the Firearms Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 27(1) of the same Act.
• That you, Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, without licence, had in your possession sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5.20 live rounds of cartridges, contrary to Section 8(1) of the Firearms Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 27(1) of the same Act.
• That you, Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, without licence, had in your possession twenty-seven (27) expended Redstar AAA 5.20 cartridges, contrary to Section 8(1) of the Firearms Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 27(1) of the same Act.
