The Department of State Services has brought a former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, alongside his son, Abdulaziz, before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a five-count charge linked to alleged terrorism-related offences and unlawful possession of firearms.
According to the charge filed by the DSS, Malami is accused of failing to initiate prosecution against individuals suspected of financing terrorism, despite case files being submitted to him during his tenure as Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
Both Malami and his son are also alleged to have kept firearms and ammunition in their residence located at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of Kebbi State, without legal authorization.
In the first count, the DSS accused the former AGF of knowingly aiding terrorism financing. Counts two to five levelled against Malami and Abdulaziz relate to the alleged illegal possession of a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 Redstar AAA 5720 live cartridges, and 27 expended Redstar AAA 5’20 cartridges.
The offences are said to be contrary to and punishable under relevant provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as well as the Firearms Act, 2004.
When the charges were read in court, both defendants entered pleas of not guilty. Following their plea, the prosecuting counsel, Calistus Eze, urged the court to order that the defendants be remanded in DSS custody and to set a date for the commencement of trial.
In response, defence counsel, Shuaibu Aruwan, SAN, made an oral application for bail, arguing that the defendants had already spent more than two weeks in the custody of the DSS. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik declined the oral bail request, stressing that the Federal High Court is a court of record and that a formal bail application must be properly filed.
The judge subsequently ordered that Malami and his son be remanded in DSS custody and adjourned the matter until February 20 for the commencement of trial.
Counts in the charge read:
“That you, Abubakar Malami of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, Adult, male, sometime in November, 2022 at 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 casefiles were brought to your office as the Attorney-General of the Federation, for prosecution, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 26 (2) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
“Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami of Gesse Phase II, Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adults, males, sometime in December, 2025, in your res:dence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did engage in a conduct in preparation to commit act of terrorism by having in your possession and 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 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, without licence, did have in your possession a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3 of Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) of the same Act.
“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, without licence, did have in your possession sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of cartridges, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(1) of Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) of the same Act.
“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, without licence, did have in your possession twenty-seven (27) expended Redstar AAA 5’20 cartridges, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(1) of Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) of the same Act.”
What you should know
The arraignment of a former Attorney General and his son on terrorism-related and firearms charges is a rare and significant development in Nigeria’s legal and political landscape.
The case centres on alleged abuse of office, national security concerns, and enforcement of anti-terrorism and firearms laws.
With the court insisting on strict procedural compliance, the outcome of the trial could set an important precedent on accountability for former top government officials and the handling of terrorism-related cases in Nigeria.
