Breaking: Court Grants Strict Conditional Bail to Ex-Buhari's Minister, Wife, Son
- The Federal High Court in Abuja grants N500 million bail to former AGF Abubakar Malami, his wife, and son, amidst EFCC charges
- Malami, facing money laundering charges for allegedly laundering ₦8.7 billion, alongside his son and one of his wives, pleads not guilty
- The development has raised public reactions, which highlight concerns over perceived unequal justice and accountability in Nigeria's legal system
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted N500 million with two sureties to the immediate past Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, his wife and son.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the trial court, in his ruling on Wednesday, January 7, explained that the sureties must have landed property in Asokoto, Maitama or Gwarinpa areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Source: Twitter
Other things the court requires from Malami
According to Channels TV, Malami, his wife, and son must also submit their travelling documents to the court, and the trial of the former minister will resume on February 17.
Last week, the court postponed the bail application of Malami, who served as AGF under the late Muhammadu Buhari. The former minister is facing alleged money laundering charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Malami had earlier been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, is facing the trial along with his son, Abdulaziz and one of his wives, Bashir Asaba, on a 16-count charge levelled against them by the EFCC. The anti-graft agency accused the Malamis of laundering ₦8.7 billion, but they have pleaded not guilty to the charges during their arraignment on Monday, December 29, 2025.
Nigerians react as court grants Malami's bail
However, the bail granted to Malami has started generating reactions from Nigerians. Below are some of their reactions:
Khone commented:
"Bail has been granted, now you can go and enjoy your loot. No top Nigerian politician has been convicted of corruption since 1999."
Source: Twitter
Ali-OneMessage condemned the bail:
"This case exemplifies the persistent perception of unequal justice in Nigeria. While legally permissible, such lenient conditions for high-profile figures erode public trust in the anti-corruption framework and reinforce the view that elite accountability remains elusive. The judiciary and prosecuting agencies must act decisively to prove that no one is above the law."
Pharmacist Ade said the bail amount is much:
"Nigeria is culpable in this mess going on in this country, you set this amount of bail condition for a non-businessman, a once government actor. How legally is he supposed to have that amount of money if he is not a thief?"
Adetunji Adelowo said the bail amount is much:
"₦500 million bail each… that’s some serious money flying around. Let’s see how this one plays out."
You can read more reactions on X here:
Malami asks EFCC chairman to recuse himself
Legit.ng earlier reported that former President Muhammadu Buhari's minister of justice and AGF, Abubakar Malami, has called on the current chairman of the EFCC to recuse himself from his investigation.
Malami gave the reason for demanding that the EFCC chairman step aside in his matter and called on the AGF and Minister of Justice to take action.
The former minister also claimed that he was being witch-hunted by the EFCC over his defection from the ruling APC to the ADC.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
