Court Grants Interim Bail to Malami, Adjourns EFCC Case to January 5, 2026
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted interim bail to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, in his ongoing legal battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The bail was granted on Tuesday following an application by Malami’s legal team, with the court ruling that he should be released under the same conditions earlier considered by the EFCC while investigations were ongoing. According to the court order, Malami is required to surrender his international passport and execute bail bonds through two sureties deemed acceptable by the court. The approved sureties include the Director-General of the Nigerian Legal Aid Council and a serving member of the House of Representatives representing the Augie/Argungu Federal Constituency The judge trying the matter held that the interim bail would subsist pending the determination of a substantive motion before the court, noting that the conditions imposed were sufficient to ensure Malami’s availability for trial and further proceedings. Following the ruling, the court adjourned the case to January 5, 2026, when arguments on the motion on notice and other pending applications are expected to be heard. Malami, who served as Nigeria’s Attorney-General from 2015 to 2023, is currently under investigation by the EFCC over allegations linked to financial misconduct and abuse of office during his tenure. He has consistently denied the allegations, describing them as politically motivated and lacking factual basis. The EFCC has not yet filed formal charges against the former minister, but sources within the anti-graft agency say investigations are ongoing and may lead to prosecution once concluded. The court’s decision marks a significant development in the high-profile case, which has attracted widespread public attention due to Malami’s former position as the nation’s chief law officer and his central role in several major legal and policy decisions of the previous administration.
