The Federal Government of Nigeria has initiated fresh money laundering charges against former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, alongside his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami. These charges, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, allege involvement in illegal financial transactions amounting to over one billion naira.

Court documents reveal a 16-count criminal suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, with the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the prosecuting entity. Hajia Bashir Asabe is also named as a co-defendant in the high-profile case. The government accuses the defendants of actively handling and disguising substantial funds believed to be the proceeds of various unlawful activities.

Investigators reportedly traced a total sum of ₦1,014,848,500 to a Sterling Bank account, which the prosecution alleges is directly linked to these questionable transactions. The charge sheet details how these funds were purportedly moved and concealed through a network of corporate entities, including Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited. This company was allegedly used as a front to obscure the true origin and flow of the illicit money.

Further allegations state that between 2015 and 2025, numerous properties across strategic locations in Abuja, Kano, and Kebbi states were acquired using funds suspected to be illegally obtained. These assets encompass a range of luxury residences in high-value districts such as Maitama, Asokoro, Gwarimpa, and Jabi, among others, indicating a pattern of significant investment in real estate.

Crucially, some of these financial transactions and property acquisitions are alleged to have occurred during Malami’s tenure as Attorney-General of the Federation, a period spanning from 2015 to 2023. One specific count in the charge sheet asserts that Abubakar Malami SAN and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, between July 2022 and June 2025, procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the stated sum.

The prosecution maintains that these alleged actions contravene specific provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The extensive list of charges further details the alleged use of various financial channels, including bank accounts, hotel companies, and property firms, to retain, transfer, or disguise large sums through payments for hotels, duplexes, plazas, and landed properties.

The government’s case hinges on the assertion that the defendants “reasonably ought to have known” that the funds in question were direct proceeds of illegal activities. This element is central to proving guilt under the relevant anti-money laundering legislation, highlighting the burden on the prosecution to demonstrate complicity and awareness.

Abubakar Malami served as Nigeria’s chief law officer under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. Throughout his eight-year tenure, he frequently faced public scrutiny and numerous allegations of corruption, which he consistently denied. These new charges re-ignite public debate surrounding accountability for high-ranking officials.

In a related development, the Federal High Court in Abuja previously granted Malami interim bail in connection with a separate matter brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). As part of his bail conditions, he was ordered to surrender his international passport and provide two sureties. That particular case has since been adjourned to January 5, 2026, for further proceedings, underscoring ongoing legal challenges faced by the former Attorney-General.

Read Original