Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have reportedly rearrested Abdulaziz Malami, the son of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN), at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, sources say.
According to reports, the controversial incident unfolded on Friday when bailiffs from the Federal High Court arrived at the prison with fully processed bail papers authorising Abdulaziz’s release. However, detainees’ legal teams were said to be stalling after Malami reportedly resisted leaving the facility via normal public procedures, allegedly urging that his son be quietly moved out of the prison without customary formalities.
Security sources familiar with events at the correctional centre said DSS operatives had placed the facility under intense surveillance, closely profiling vehicles entering and exiting the premises. As a result, Abdulaziz was intercepted and rearrested shortly after being handed over for release, in what security officials described as a necessary action amid concerns over “irregular efforts” around his departure.
Abdulaziz, alongside his father and Malami’s fourth wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, are standing trial on a 16-count charge including money laundering, conspiracy, and concealment of proceeds of unlawful activities brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The alleged offences reportedly involve billions of naira and transactions through corporate fronts and bank accounts.
The latest development adds a fresh twist to an already high-profile case that has drawn national scrutiny, with intense security presence and legal contestations continuing at the Kuje facility as the trial progresses.
