Another ADC Chieftain, Wife, Son Sent to Prison Amid El-Rufai's Dilemma
- The Federal High Court in Abuja has remanded the former AGF and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, his wife and son
- Malami, his wife and son were arraigned by the EFCC over an N8.7 billion corruption charge on Friday, February 27
- The judgment came amid the detention of Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna, who is a fellow ADC chieftain to Malami
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, alongside his wife and son. They were remanded by the Federal High Court in Abuja after they appeared in court over an N8.7 billion corruption charge.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the trial court ordered that the former minister and son should be returned to the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, while his wife was asked to be remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre in Niger State.
Source: Twitter
Why EFCC drag Malami to court
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.
This came after the court accepted the plea of the defendants in a fresh charge filed by the EFCC. It marked a major setback for the former AGF, who earlier secured bail in the same court, TVC reported.
Malami, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is facing the trial amid the dilemma confronting Nasir El-Rufai, the immediate past governor of Kaduna state and a chieftain of the ADC. He is currently in the detention of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
El-Rufai, who dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside Malami for the ADC, after he was denied a ministerial slot through Senate screening, reported to the office of the EFCC on his return to Nigeria. He was then arrested by the ICPC after being released by the EFCC and has been in the custody of the anti-graft agency.
Analyst speaks on rejection of El-Rufai as minister
Oladotun Hassan, a legal practitioner and political analyst, in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, associated the rejection of El-Rufai's ministerial nomination to his actions and comments when he was in office as the governor of Kaduna state.
His statement reads:
"The failure of El-Rufai to pass the security test (during senate screening for his ministerial position) may be because of the majority of what he did as governor of Kaduna State, where we had killings in the southern Kaduna in a greater number, his utterances that foreign election observers will be taken away with body bags. Those threats are still there. So, at various points in time, El-Rufai has raised a lot of overbloated ego. So, this is affecting his person."
Source: Twitter
Nigerians react to the detention of Malami
However, Malami's news has started generating reactions from Nigerians. Below are some of their comments:
Orji criticised the prosecution of Malami and wife:
"Please, why the son and wife? If they want to punish Mallami for what he did, I think they should go ahead and do that, but bringing the family into it is not proper. How many politicians in Nigeria have ever been punished together with their families?"
Wale Adekola called for the probe of the NTA:
"EFCC should also put its searchlight on the digitalisation of NTA during the previous administration. It was another project used to siphon billions of NGN. This is equally important."
Emsy Chris urged the EFCC to remain objective:
"Seize their properties within and outside Nigeria. If the organisation can continue like this without bias, it will get back the trust of the Nigerians. He owns a hospital, I think?"
CryptoGen said:
"What is so hard for Malami now? Let him decamp back to the APC to finish all the drama."
Read the full statement from the EFCC 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.
Source: Legit.ng
