Dare Babalola
The Federal Government has withdrawn allegations of terrorism financing previously filed against former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and his son, Abdulaziz Malami.
The decision was made on Wednesday during proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the prosecution formally discontinued the earlier five-count charge that bordered on alleged terrorism financing and unlawful possession of firearms, originally instituted by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Following the withdrawal of the initial charge, the prosecution informed the court that a fresh amended five-count charge, dated April 14, had been filed in its place.
Speaking for the Federal Government, prosecution counsel, Chief Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), who represents the Attorney-General of the Federation, told the court that the amended charge supersedes the earlier allegations and reflects the current position of the case.
Former Minister Abubakar Malami and his son, Abdulaziz Malami, subsequently entered fresh pleas before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, where they both pleaded not guilty to all the amended counts.
The court, thereafter, upheld the existing bail conditions earlier granted to the defendants and adjourned the matter to May 26 and June 15 for the commencement of trial.
The development significantly narrows the scope of the case against the former chief law officer of the federation and his son, following the removal of the terrorism financing allegations from the original charge.
In the earlier charge, Malami was accused of allegedly aiding terrorism financing by purportedly failing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers whose case files were said to have been forwarded to his office during his tenure as Attorney-General in November 2022, in alleged violation of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
He and his son were also previously accused of unlawful possession of firearms in December 2025 at their residence in Kebbi State, including a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 live Redstar AAA 5’20 cartridges, and 27 expended cartridges, allegations which were previously framed as preparatory acts linked to terrorism under the Firearms and Terrorism Prevention laws.
