OPERATIVES of the State Security Service (SSS) on Monday re-arrested former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, moments after his release from the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, in what some have described as a continuation of President Bola Tinubu’s hardline posture against influential figures of the immediate past administration of late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Malami, a senior advocate, was re-arrested at a facility where he had been remanded over an N8.7 billion money laundering case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The SSS picked him up as he exited the prison facility, acting on a fresh investigation linked to arms allegedly discovered at his residence in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, during EFCC raids carried out in December 2025.
A video that circulated widely on social media showed the former justice minister being escorted by security operatives towards a black pickup truck. In the footage, Malami appeared to question the operatives’ authority, asking to see their identification before entering the vehicle.
The ICIR reports that the development came after days of reported surveillance around the prison by SSS operatives, who were said to have waited out Malami’s detention to re-arrest him immediately after meeting his bail conditions.
Malami’s media aide, Mohammed Doka, had on January 7, alleged there were plans by security agencies to re-arrest his principal. He described the move as an abuse of due process.
In a statement posted via Malami’s official handle, Doka wrote “The Office of Abubakar Malami, SAN, has been reliably informed of plans by government security agencies to rearrest him immediately upon his release, despite being granted bail by a court of competent jurisdiction.
“This development is deeply troubling and raises grave concerns about due process, the rule of law, and personal safety.”
Meanwhile, Malami’s re-arrest marked his continued legal hurdle with the SSS since December 8, 2025, when he was initially detained by the EFCC from December 8, 2025, to December 29, 2025.
Malami, his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz, and one of his wives, Asabe, were consequently remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre following their arraignment by the EFCC on December 29, 2025, after pleading not guilty to a 16-count charge bordering on money laundering amounting to N8.7 billion.
The EFCC alleged that the defendants conspired to conceal and disguise proceeds of unlawful activities through the use of multiple corporate entities, bank accounts, and high-value real estate transactions across Abuja and other parts of the country.
Bail
Meanwhile, the Abuja Federal High Court, on January 7, granted N500 million bail each to the accused. The presiding judge, Emeka Nwite, in his ruling, ordered that the defendants produce two sureties with verifiable landed property located within Asokoro, Maitama, or Gwarimpa districts of Abuja.
The judge also directed that the documents of the properties be submitted to the court and verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar, while the sureties must depose to affidavits of means.
As part of the bail conditions, the court ordered Malami and the other defendants to deposit their international passports and other travel documents with the court. Each of the defendants was granted N500 million by the court.
They were also barred from travelling outside Nigeria without prior permission of the court.
Court orders forfeiture of Malami’s 57 properties
Following the bail granted to him, the Abuja Federal High Court, on January 7, ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties allegedly linked to Malami. The properties, which investigators said were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime, were valued at over N213 billion.
They include luxury hotels in Maitama and Jabi, duplexes in Asokoro and Gwarimpa, plazas, filling stations, factories, warehouses, schools, shopping complexes, and more than 100 hectares of land in Kebbi State, among others.
The EFCC alleged that many of the assets were acquired during and shortly after Malami’s eight-year tenure as justice minister.
Malami in trouble, like former CBN Governor Emefiele
The ICIR reports that Tinubu’s government hardening posture against Malami mirrors the sustained legal fireworks on former Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, another powerful figure from the Buhari administration who has remained entangled in multiple criminal cases since his sack as CBN governor in June 2023 by Tinubu.
Several courts also ordered the final forfeiture of millions of dollars, shares, and several prime properties linked to Emefiele, including a 753-unit housing estate in Abuja, high-value properties in Ikoyi and Lekki, Lagos, and cash sums exceeding $2 million.
The former CBN is currently facing various charges ranging from abuse of office to procurement fraud and money laundering.
While Tinubu revved plans to succeed Buhari at the peak of activities preceding the 2023 polls, multiple reports claimed the former apex bank governor indicated interest in the Presidency.
Though he did not eventually participate in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary, Emefiele presided over the controversial naira redesign and cash swap policy, which shaped Nigeria’s political and economic climate in the months leading to the 2023 elections.
The ICIR reports that Nigerians are viewing the continued trial of the two former public officers from different lens. While a section of the population believes that the trials are key to tackling pervasive corruption in the country, and sleaze which allegedly characterised the Buhari government, others feel the Tinubu administration is selective and vindictive in its approach to probing the past administration.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M