Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, son of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (SAN), Abubakar Malami, was reportedly rushed to the Kuje Correctional Centre's clinic on Tuesday after falling ill unexpectedly.
This incident occurred amidst ongoing fraud allegations involving the Malami family, which include his father and his father's fourth wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe.
### Sudden Illness in Custody
Sources close to the situation informed SaharaReporters that Abdulaziz Malami was admitted to the prison clinic for observation after suddenly becoming unwell. A prison source confirmed the situation, stating, "Malami’s son suddenly fell sick and was rushed to Kuje clinic to stay there for observation."
### Court Arraignment Over N8.7B Fraud
Earlier on Tuesday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the Malami family before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja.
The defendants are facing 16 charges, including conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing, and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to N8.7 billion, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. During the proceedings, the prosecuting counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, stated that the purpose of the arraignment was to allow the defendants to take their pleas. Defense counsel J.B. Daudu, SAN, did not object, and all three defendants pleaded not guilty.
### Allegations Against Malami and His Family
Court documents reveal that the EFCC is accusing Abubakar Malami and his family of using front companies to launder public funds during his tenure as Attorney-General. These companies include Metropolitan Auto Tech Ltd and Meethaq Hotels Ltd. One charge claims that Malami and his son used Metropolitan Auto Tech Ltd to launder over N1 billion between July 2022 and June 2025 through a Sterling Bank account, hiding the source of the funds.
Another charge accuses Malami of securing a loan of N600 million for Rayhaan Hotels Ltd, using suspicious funds as collateral. Further charges allege the use of properties and Bureau De Change operators to conceal payments for high-end properties across Abuja and Kano, including luxury duplexes and hotels worth millions of naira.
### EFCC Witnesses and Evidence
The EFCC has submitted documents as proof of its investigation, listing witnesses including agency officials, Bureau De Change operators, and bankers. The anti-graft agency claims that intelligence reports and petitions triggered the investigations into what it describes as "monumental corruption" linked to the former Attorney-General. A key witness, Hassan Aliyu, reportedly stated, "My company’s account was used for suspicious multi-million-naira transactions without my full knowledge."
### VIP Prison Accommodation
Abubakar Malami and his co-defendants are currently being held in a VIP cell at Kuje Prison, reportedly refurbished by the late Abba Kyari. Despite the severity of the allegations, all three defendants maintain their innocence. Abdulaziz Malami’s defense team stated in court, "We are not guilty of the charges," and demanded the case proceed to a full trial.
### Next Steps in Court
The Federal High Court has scheduled a bail hearing for the Malami family on January 2, 2026.
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