The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday fixed March 10 for the Department of State Services (DSS) to open its case of alleged terrorism financing and illegal possession of firearms against a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and his son, Abdulaziz Malami.
DSS had on February 27 arraigned Mr. Malami and his son, Abdulaziz, before the court for the alleged offences, in the course of which the presiding judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, granted the former AGF and his son bail and adjourned the matter to Wednesday March 4.
When the matter came up on Wednesday, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court that his office recently took over the case from the DSS, and needed some time to familiarise itself with the facts of the matter.
Responding, the DPPF said that the request to strike out the case by counsel to Mr. Malami was premature and urged the judge to ignore it.
After taking arguments, Justice Abdulmalik fixed March 10 for the DPP to open the trial
The Court had on February 27 admitted Malami and his son, Abdulaziz each to N200m bail
with two sureties each of whom must own landed property either in highbrow Maitama or Asokoro districts.
Justice Abdulmalik had said that the title of the property must be deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court along with valid international passports.
The sureties were also ordered to depose to affidavit of means and submit their two recent passport photographs with the court.
Besides, Mr. Malami and his son were also ordered to submit their international passports and recent passport photographs to the court.
The Department of State Services (DSS) had arraigned Malami and his son, Abdulaziz on a five-count charge bordering on terrorism and illegal firearms possession.
In the charge, marked, FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, Mr. Malami is also accused of refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers, whose case files were handed to him while he served as the AGF and Minister of Justice.
Mr. Malami and Mr. Abdulaziz are, equally accused of warehousing firearms in their residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birain Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State without lawful authority.
The DSS accused Mr. Malami in count one of the charge, with knowingly abetting terrorism financing, while the ex-AGF and his son are charged in counts two to five, with unlawful, possession of a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 Redstar AAA 5720 live rounds of cartridges and 27 expended Redstar AAA 5’20 cartridges, contrary to and punishable under relevant Sections of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and Firearms Act, 2004.
Counts in the charge reads:
*That you, Abubakar Malami of Gesse Phase II 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 financiers whose casefiles 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.
*Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami of Gesse Phase II, Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adults, males, sometime in December, 2025, in your res:dence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin 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 5’20 Cartridges, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 29 of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 .
*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 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 same 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 live rounds of 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. COUNT FIVE
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 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.
