The Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has taken over the prosecution of a former AGF, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and his son, Abdulaziz, for suspected terrorism-related offenses and illicit firearm possession.
The development occurred on Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja when the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), informed the court that the case file had been transferred from the Department of State Services to the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
“My lord, I was informed by counsel to the DSS that the case file has been transmitted to the office of the AGF,” Oyedepo told the court.
“We ask your lordship for a very short date. If we have four days, it will be enough,” he said.
Mr. Adedayo Adedeji (SAN), counsel for the defendants, did not oppose the application but urged the court to dismiss the charge if the prosecution fails to open its case on the next adjourned date, alleging a lack of diligent prosecution.
The DPPF responded by describing the defense’s proposed application as premature.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik then adjourned the case until March 10, 2026, when the trial would begin, and ordered the prosecution to formally open its case on that date.
The DSS has charged Malami and his son with terrorism-related offenses such as alleged failure to prosecute suspected terrorist financiers and illicit firearm ownership.
Malami is charged in FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026 with intentionally abetting terrorism funding by allegedly refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers whose case files were provided to him while he was Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
The defendants were also charged with unlawfully storing firearms at their residence in the Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area, Kebbi State.
Specifically, the prosecution claimed that in December 2025, Malami and his son possessed a Sturm Magnum firearm, 16 live cartridges, and 27 expended cartridges without a license—an act deemed preparatory to terrorism and in violation of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as well as the Firearms Act.
During their first hearing on February 3, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges.
On the previous postponed date, the court admitted them to bail in the amount of N200 million each, with two sureties in the same amount.
They were ordered to be held at the Kuje Correctional Centre awaiting the completion of their bail terms.
As part of the terms, one of the sureties must possess land in Maitama or Asokoro, Abuja, and deposit the title documents with the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar, along with a valid international passport.
The sureties were also required to sign declarations of means and provide two recent passport pictures.
Malami and his son were both ordered to relinquish their international passports and provide recent passport photos to the court.
