by Zainab Adinoyi
Former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), on Monday met operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, shortly after steps were taken to secure his release on bail, Abuja Network News reports.
The development follows the ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, which on 7 January 2026 granted Malami, his wife and his son bail in the sum of ₦500 million each, with two sureties in like sum. The court further ordered the defendants to deposit their international passports and other travel documents with the court and barred them from travelling outside Nigeria without leave of court.
Despite the bail order, Malami remained in custody for weeks, with his legal team attributing the delay to the alleged failure of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to promptly present the defendants’ international passports required to perfect the bail. The EFCC has, however, maintained that Malami did not meet the conditions attached to an earlier administrative bail granted in November.
Sources told Abuja Network News that as arrangements for his release progressed on Monday, DSS operatives that have been stationed at the entrance of the Kuje facility for weeks, reportedly ramp up their personel with the intention of taking Malami into fresh custody over yet-to-be-disclosed allegations. Rather than avoid the operatives, the former minister was said to have voluntarily met with the DSS personnel to formally hear and clarify the nature of the allegations being raised against him.
The DSS presence at Kuje has heightened tension around the case, particularly amid earlier reports that Malami’s son was re-arrested at the facility after court bailiffs attempted to effect his release. The latest development adds to the growing legal and procedural complexity surrounding Malami’s detention, bail and interactions with multiple security agencies.
Abuja Network News will continue to monitor the situation and report further developments as they unfold.
Abuja Network News
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