•Abubakar Malami in the FHC Abuja, Tuesday, 30 December 2025.

Trial Justice Emeka Nwike issued the remand order after he rejected an oral bail application the defendants made through their team of lawyers led by Mr J. B. Daudu, SAN.

The court stressed the need to allow the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which opposed the release of the defendants on bail, to file its counter-affidavit.

The former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, his son, and one other person pleaded not guilty to alleged money laundering on Tuesday.

Malami and the others were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a 16- count charges against him, his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and an associate, Hajia Bashir Asabe.

Among the charges are large-scale money laundering and the illegal acquisition of properties worth over N8.7 billion.

The EFCC’s witnesses include investigators, bank officials, bureau de change operators, and company representatives.

Consequently, the court ordered that Malami, alongside his son, Abdulaziz, and an accomplice, Hajia Bashir Asabe, should remain in Kuje prison till January 2, 2026, when their formal request for bail would be considered.

The Trial Justice Emeka Nwike issued the remand order after he rejected an oral bail application the defendants made through their team of lawyers led by Mr J. B. Daudu, SAN.

The court stressed the need to allow the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which opposed the release of the defendants on bail, to file its counter-affidavit.

Details later…

• A power generation site

The Nigeria Independent System Operator (NISO) has restored the national grid to 2,126 megawatts (Mw) total energy generation at 20:00 hour.

The previous day,there was a nationwide blackout as the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) recorded 0Mw total energy generation at 16:00 hour.

NISO also raised the total energy sent to the 11 electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to 1,895Mw at 21:02 hours.

The grid developed issues that the NISO was yet to report its cause and restoration measures at press time, leading to the cut in the supply to the 11 electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) from the average of 4,000MW on a normal day.

According to the NISO website dashboard, the system dipped from 148.30MW at 15:00 hour.

On its distribution profile, the NISO revealed that total energy sent to the 11 electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) at 16:46hour was 305MW.

Image of the six suspects / NAF

In furtherance of ongoing efforts to disrupt criminal and terrorist activities within its Area of Responsibility (AOR), the Headquarters Joint Task Force South West, Operation AWATSE, has conducted a joint multi-component kinetic and non-kinetic operation code-named Operation EMBER Guard.

The operation, aimed at strengthening public confidence and enhancing inter-agency cooperation, led to a successful raid on a suspected drug den located along Idinmu Road, Egbeda, Lagos State, on 28 December 2025 at about 2300 hours.

During the operation, six suspects were arrested in connection with illegal drug-related activities.

The suspects include Okoduwa Odianose (38, Edo State), Obagede Abraham (25, Osun State), Abdulahi Umate (18, Borno State), Bala Abdullahi (18, Kano State), Mallah Umate (18, Borno State), and Habeeb Badmus (34, Kwara State).

The Items recovered from the suspects include three pieces of crack cocaine, 29 packs of ice, six bottles of codeine, 70 pieces of loud, six wraps of backwood, three small wraps of backwood, two wraps of Russian cream, 49 pieces of colos, two pieces of rohypnol, as well as other personal belongings.

The suspects and recovered exhibits were subsequently handed over to the Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Lagos State Command, on 29 December 2025 at the Nigerian Air Force 651 Base Services Group(BSG) 3 Provost, Sam Ethnan AirForce Base, Ikeja, Lagos for further investigation and prosecution.

The Theater Commander, Headquarters Joint Task Force Operation AWATSE, Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha was ably represented by the Commander 651 BSG, Air Commodore IM Imam who handed over the suspects to NDLEA officials.

The Commander 651 BSG reiterated the operation’s commitment to sustaining joint operations with relevant security agencies to curb criminality and ensure the safety and security of lives and property within the South West region.