Dare Babalola
A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Babangida Hassan, has rejected a summons seeking bail filed by former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The judge delivered the ruling on Thursday, December 18, 2025, according to a statement published on the social media handles of the anti-graft agency.
Malami, through his lead counsel Dr. Suliman Hassan (SAN) had approached the court seeking release on bail from EFCC custody, contending that his detention as part of the commission’s ongoing investigation was illegal and without proper justification.
However, the EFCC’s counsel, Chief J.S. Okutepa (SAN), countered that the commission was holding Malami under a valid remand order issued by Justice S.C. Oriji of an FCT High Court. He assured that the EFCC, being a law-abiding agency, would not detain anyone beyond the legally allowed period without a court order.
In his ruling, Justice Hassan held, quoting Section 35 of the Constitution, that since there was a provision in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, for detention, Malami was lawfully detained by the Remand Order of the court.
“Asking this court to grant this application is tantamount to inviting the court to sit as an appellate court over an application made by a court of coordinate jurisdiction which the court has no power to do,” he said.
Malami is currently in EFCC custody as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering and corruption linked to his tenure as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, involving suspicions of mishandling government funds and other financial irregularities.
