Court adjourns terrorism trial of Malami, son to March 10

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned the alleged terrorism trial of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and his son, Abdulaziz Malami, to March 10, 2026.

Trial judge, Joyce Abdulmalik, fixed the new date following a request by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), who sought additional time for the prosecution to study the case file.

Oyedepo told the court that the matter was recently transferred from the State Security Services to the Department of Public Prosecutions, necessitating time to properly review the documents.

“We ask your lordship for a very short date. If we have four days, it will be enough,” he said.

Counsel to the defendants, Mr Adedayo Adedeji, did not oppose the application but urged the court to strike out the charges if the prosecution fails to open its case at the next sitting, citing what he described as a lack of diligent prosecution.

Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the case to March 10 for trial and directed the prosecution to formally open its case.

The DSS had arraigned Malami and his son on six counts bordering on terrorism-related offences.

In one of the charges, the Federal Government alleged that Malami, in November 2022, knowingly abetted terrorism financing by allegedly failing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers whose case files were forwarded to his office while he served as Attorney-General.

The offence is said to contravene Section 26(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

In another count, the prosecution accused Malami and his son of engaging in conduct preparatory to an act of terrorism by allegedly possessing, without a licence, a Sturm Magnum firearm, 16 live cartridges and 27 expended cartridges at their residence in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, in December 2025.

They were also charged with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition under the Firearms Act.

At their first appearance in court on February 3, both defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.