The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has initiated a major legal offensive against a former high-ranking official of the previous government. The Federal Government has filed a 16-count money laundering charge against the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami.
Details of the ₦1.014 Billion Allegations
According to court documents filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the defendants are accused of laundering and concealing a total sum of ₦1,014,848,500, believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities. The charges, which also name a third defendant, Hajia Bashir Asabe, allege that the illicit financial activities took place between July 2022 and June 2025 within the Federal Capital Territory.
Prosecutors contend that the defendants used a company, Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited, as a vehicle to disguise the origin and movement of the massive funds. The government alleges that funds were lodged in a Sterling Bank account under the company's name to conceal their unlawful source, an act that violates Nigeria's money laundering statutes.
Properties and Transactions Under Scrutiny
The charges provide specific details on how the allegedly laundered funds were deployed. Several counts focus on payments for high-value real estate acquisitions in prime locations across the country. These include:
- Luxury duplexes in the highbrow Maitama district of Abuja.
- Properties in the affluent Asokoro and Gwarimpa areas of the capital.
- Hotel developments and other landed properties in Kano and Kebbi State.
The charge sheet further alleges that some of the funds were retained as cash collateral for bank loans, while other portions were channeled through hotel and property development companies to obscure their trail. The prosecution asserts that the defendants conspired between 2015 and 2024 to indirectly acquire these properties using the proceeds of crime.
Legal Ramifications and Background
The alleged offences are said to be contrary to provisions of both the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and the newer Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. If convicted, the defendants face severe penalties, which can include lengthy prison terms and the forfeiture of assets linked to the crime.
This case represents a significant escalation in the Tinubu administration's anti-corruption drive, particularly targeting high-profile figures from the preceding government of President Muhammadu Buhari. Malami served as the nation's chief law officer from 2015 to 2023.
In a related development, Abubakar Malami has reportedly called for the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to recuse himself from the investigation, alleging bias and political witch-hunting following his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The case is awaiting arraignment as the legal community watches for the defendants' formal response to the weighty charges.
