The Federal Government has filed multiple criminal charges against former Federal Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN, and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, for allegedly laundering more than ₦1.014 billion.
Court documents filed with the Federal High Court in Abuja indicate that the case, numbered FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, names Malami, his son, and Hajia Bashir Asabe as defendants in a 16-count indictment brought by the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to the prosecution, the defendants allegedly laundered and concealed funds traced to an account at Sterling Bank Plc, which investigators say originated from illicit activities. The government alleges that the defendants knew or should have known that the funds came from illegal sources.
The charges allege that, between July 2022 and June 2025, the defendants used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited as a front to conceal the origin and movement of funds, an act that the government says violates Nigerian anti-money laundering laws.
The prosecution also alleged that Malami, while serving as Attorney General, withheld hundreds of millions of naira as cash collateral for bank loans, concealed payments for luxury properties in Abuja and Kano, and indirectly acquired several high-value assets through third-party companies.
The properties cited in the charges include luxury duplexes in Maitama, Asokoro, Garki, Jabi, Gwarimpa, and other prime locations, with transaction values totaling billions of naira over several years.
The alleged offenses are said to violate provisions of the 2022 Prevention and Prohibition of Money Laundering Act, as well as previous anti-money laundering laws, and carry severe penalties under Nigerian law.
Malami, who served as Nigeria’s Attorney General from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has consistently denied the corruption allegations during and after his tenure.
In a related development, a Federal High Court in Abuja recently granted Malami provisional bail, ordering him to surrender his passport and provide bail with two sureties, including a sitting member of the House of Representatives.
The case has been adjourned until January 5, 2026, for a new hearing, while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission continues its investigation.
Malami now joins a growing list of former senior government officials facing post-term scrutiny for alleged financial crimes related to their time in office.
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