Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has been re-arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) shortly after fulfilling his bail conditions and exiting the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
Sources familiar with the development confirmed that DSS officials intercepted Malami outside the prison premises and immediately took him into custody, despite his release being authorised by the court.
The re-arrest is reportedly linked to a fresh security investigation being conducted by the secret police. According to information gathered, the probe follows the alleged discovery of arms at Malami’s country home in Kebbi State during a recent search conducted by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
A Federal High Court had earlier granted Malami bail alongside his wife and son, setting the bail sum at ₦500 million each, with two sureties per defendant. All conditions attached to the bail were said to have been met before his release.
Prior to the development, Malami had raised concerns over an alleged plan by the DSS to re-arrest him. In a statement issued through his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, the former minister accused the secret police of mounting surveillance around the Kuje Correctional Centre with the intention of taking him back into custody.
There are reports that Malami’s fears materialised shortly after he regained freedom, as DSS operatives reportedly acted on what security sources described as “new intelligence” warranting his detention.
As of the time of filing this report, the DSS has not issued an official statement on the re-arrest or the specific nature of the new investigation.