The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has ordered the remand of former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and his son, Abdul-aziz Malami, in the custody of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) over alleged terrorism financing and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik gave the remand order after the defendants were arraigned before her by the Federal government.

The prosecution counsel, Callistus Eze, told the court that the defendants were to be arraigned on a five- count charge bordering on terrorism financing and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

“My Lord, before you is a five- count charge dated February 2, 2026 and filed on February 3. Subject to the overriding convenience of the court, I apply that the said charge be read to the defendants”, he said.

Meanwhile, the defendants who have been in the custody of the DSS for two weeks all pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

After their plea, the prosecution counsel asked the court for a date for their trial and also requested that the defendants be remanded in the DSSS custody pending further proceedings.

However, the defence counsel, Shuiabu Arua (SAN), made an oral application for the bail of the defendants.

“We know that it is the discretion of the court to grant bail, and given that they have been in DSS custody for two weeks and came here directly from the hospital, we seek to apply orally for the bail of the defendants,” he prayed.

Responding, Justice Abdulmalik asked that a formal application for bail should be filed on behalf of the defendants.

“This is a court of record, so I order counsel to file and serve a formal bail application,” the judge ruled.

She then ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the DSSS while adjourning further trial to February 20.

The charge marked No: FHC/ABJ/ CR/ 63 /2026 reads: “That you, Abubakar Malami of Gesse Phase Il 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 financers whose case files 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.

“That you, Abubakar Malamu and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, of Gesse Phase I] Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, Adults, Males, sometime in December, 2025, in your residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birin 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 520 Cartridges, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 29 of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

“That you, Abubakar Malamiand 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 Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) 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 five rounds of Cartridges, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(1) of the Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) of the same Act.

In count five, the prosecution alleged: “That you, Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, of Gesse Phase 11 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.

The offences, the prosecution said, were contrary to and punishable under Section 29 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as well as Sections 3 and 8(1) of the Firearms Act, 2004, punishable under Section 27(1) of the same Act.

Malami’s latest ordeal began on Monday when DSS operatives took him into custody shortly after he perfected his bail and was released from the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.

His arrest came barely minutes after he stepped out of the facility, where he had been detained since early December over allegations brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The former AGF had initially been arrested by the EFCC following allegations that he conspired with his wife, Asabe, and their son to conceal proceeds of unlawful activities valued at about N8.7bn.

According to the anti-graft agency, the alleged offences involved the use of multiple corporate entities, bank accounts, and high-value real estate transactions in Abuja and other parts of the country.

Specifically, in the charges preferred against them, the EFCC alleged that the defendants conspired to conceal proceeds of unlawful activities through multiple corporate entities, bank accounts and high-value real estate transactions in Abuja and other parts of the country to the tune of N8.7bn. They pleaded not guilty to the 16 charges.

It was not until January 7 that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court granted Malami, his wife and son bail in the sum of N500m each, with stringent conditions.

Justice Nwite ordered that each defendant produce two sureties with verifiable landed property within the Asokoro, Maitama or Gwarimpa areas of Abuja.

The court also directed that the title documents of the properties be deposited with the court for verification by the Deputy Chief Registrar, while the sureties were to depose to affidavits of means.

The sun