- EFCC To Arraign Ex Attorney General Abubakar Malami Today
- Former AGF faces 16 counts over alleged ₦8.7bn money laundering
- Charges include cash concealment and high value property purchases
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is expected to arraign former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, today, Tuesday, December 30, 2025, before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that sources confirmed that Malami will be brought before Justice Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for his formal arraignment.
The anti graft agency had earlier filed a 16 count charge against Malami, his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and an associate, Hajia Bashir Asabe, over alleged money laundering and unlawful acquisition of properties valued at more than ₦8.7 billion.
The charge, marked FHC ABJ CR 700 2025, accused the defendants of conspiring to conceal, disguise, retain and indirectly acquire proceeds of unlawful activities through bank accounts, corporate entities and real estate transactions over a period spanning nearly ten years.
The alleged offences were said to have occurred between 2015 and 2025, largely within Abuja, while Malami served as Nigeria’s chief law officer.
According to the charge filed by the EFCC and signed by a prosecution team led by Chief J S Okutepa, SAN, Malami and his son allegedly used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal ₦1.014 billion domiciled in a Sterling Bank account between July 2022 and June 2025.
The commission further alleged that another ₦600.01 million was concealed in the same account between September 2020 and February 2021.
The EFCC also accused the defendants of retaining ₦600 million as cash collateral for a ₦500 million loan granted by Sterling Bank Plc to Rayhaan Hotels Limited, despite allegedly knowing the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.
In another count, the commission alleged that between November 2022 and October 2025, the defendants indirectly controlled ₦1.36 billion paid through the Union Bank account of Meethaq Hotels Limited.
Several counts relate to high value property acquisitions in Abuja and other locations. The EFCC alleged that ₦500 million was paid to Efab Properties Limited for a luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Maitama, while ₦700 million was used to acquire a property on Onitsha Crescent, Garki.
Other properties allegedly include a ₦850 million purchase in Jabi District, ₦430 million for a property on Rhine Street, Maitama, and ₦210 million for a property in Asokoro District.
The commission further alleged that ₦325 million and ₦120 million were used to acquire properties in Asokoro and Gwarimpa respectively.
According to the EFCC, Malami also allegedly used ₦537 million and ₦415 million to acquire multiple properties in Abuja, Kano and Birnin Kebbi between 2018 and 2023 through proxies and corporate fronts.
Hajia Bashir Asabe, described as an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, was accused of facilitating several of the transactions and disguising beneficial ownership.
The alleged offences are said to contravene provisions of the Money Laundering Act and are punishable under Nigerian law.
