Abubakar Malami, former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, has accused the Department of State Services of denying him access to his family members and legal team.

Malami, who is standing trial alongside his son and wife over allegations bordering on money laundering, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and subsequently remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.

On January 7, a federal high court in Abuja granted him bail in the sum of N500 million.

However, shortly after his release from the facility on Monday, DSS operatives arrested Malami at the front of Kuje prison.

The former minister was reportedly re-arrested following the alleged discovery of arms at his residence.

In a statement on Wednesday, Mohammed Doka, the media aide to the former AGF, said the reports that DSS found arms at Malami’s residence are “false, unsubstantiated and unsupported by any official record”.

Doka said no such discovery has been formally communicated to Malami’s family or legal representatives.

He said the “prolonged isolation” of Malami by the DSS raises legitimate concerns regarding his safety, welfare, and constitutionally guaranteed rights. ”

“We categorically reject claims that any cache of arms or ammunition was discovered in any residence linked to Abubakar Malami, SAN,” the statement reads.

“These claims are false, unsubstantiated, and unsupported by any official record, judicial document, or lawful disclosure. No such discovery has been formally communicated to his family or legal representatives.

“We also firmly deny allegations or insinuations linking Abubakar Malami, SAN, to terrorism, terrorism financing, or related activities.

“Such claims have been advanced without naming a single individual, organisation, transaction, date, or piece of verifiable evidence, rendering them speculative and irresponsible.

“Since his arrest on Monday by the DSS, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has been denied access to his family, legal team, and associates.

“This prolonged isolation raises legitimate concerns regarding his safety, welfare, and constitutionally guaranteed rights, including access to legal counsel and family contact.

“We further express concern over the undue hardship and emotional strain placed on his family and staff as a result of sensational reporting and unverified narratives.

“It is important to note that Abubakar Malami, SAN, is a prominent chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and has publicly declared his intention to contest the Kebbi State governorship election in 2027.

“Against this background, the political undertones now surrounding this matter cannot be ignored. Legal processes must remain insulated from political considerations.”

The arraignment of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome for alleged felony and forgery is to hold on Monday.

Ozekhome is implicated in the forgery controversy over a property in the UK traced to a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, late Gen. Jeremiah Useni.

The High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory yesterday notified the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that the trial is fixed for Court 4.

Ozekhome may either be taken into custody preparatory to the trial or asked to report as early as possible on Monday.

But the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) yesterday presented more evidence of the forgery of its passport to ICPC, which may increase the charges against Ozekhome from three to eight.

The ICPC said it is empowered to put Ozekhome on trial by virtue of Section 13 of the commission’s Act.

According to the notice from the court, FRN v. Chief Mike Ozekhome, parties are to be heard on Monday “if the business of the court permits or otherwise on some adjournment day of which you will receive no further notice.

“The parties are warned that at the hearing, they are required to bring forward all the evidence by witnesses or by documents which each of them desires to rely on in support of his own case or in contradiction of that of his opponent…”

Meanwhile, ICPC yesterday insisted that it can put Ozekhome on trial

A top source in the commission, who spoke with our correspondent, said that although Ozekhome is not a public officer, he has a case to answer by virtue of Section 13 of the ICPC Act 2000.

The source said: “We have been getting representations that allegations against Ozekhome are within the mandate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) because he is not a public officer. In fact, Ozekhome, in his statement to us, said he had interacted with EFCC on the same subject matter.

“This assumption is based on the ignorance of the law. We have full legal backing to prosecute the man by virtue of Section 13 of the ICPC Act.

“Section 13 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 (ICPC Act) in Nigeria addresses the offence of Fraudulent Receipt of Property.

“Section 13 criminalizes receiving property obtained through a felony or misdemeanor, either within or outside Nigeria, while knowing it was acquired illegally.

“Forgery is a Fundamental peg of this case. It is a criminal matter, and it has nothing to do with whether you are a public officer or not. We will meet in court to defend our action.”

Responding to a question, the source said: “We have just received more evidence on passport forgery from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). We may amend the charges against Ozekhome from three to about eight.

“It is an interesting case drawing international attention. “

Babatunde Fashola, former governor of Lagos and ex-minister of power, works, and housing, says that newly appointed Nigerian ambassadors must possess a deep knowledge of the country’s policies to attract foreign investment effectively.

Fashola spoke in Abuja on Tuesday while delivering the keynote address at the Nigeria Reputation Summit 2026, organized by the Nigeria Reputation Management Group, an initiative of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

The summit was themed ‘Better Nigeria, better reputation’.

Fashola recounted an official visit to an African country during his time as a minister, where Nigeria’s ambassador lacked knowledge of the country’s policy position in the sector under discussion.

“We have ambassadors, and I’m going to make my recommendation based on my own experience; over dinner, preparatory to my meeting, I shared the purpose of my visit, which was a ministry-related sector issue, and ultimately, it turned out that the ambassador had no clue what Nigeria’s position on those matters were,” he said.

The former minister said the recent appointment of ambassadors provides an opportunity for structured and continuous engagement to equip them with current information on Nigeria’s fiscal policies, tax laws, investment incentives, oil and gas reforms, solid minerals, and the business environment.

“Our ambassadors must have handy knowledge and information to really represent us; how long does it take to register a business in Nigeria? They must know that,” he said.

He described such capacity-building as urgent and ongoing, urging the minister of information and national orientation to work with the ministry of foreign affairs to commence coordinated briefings for Nigeria’s diplomatic corps.

Fashola also criticised what he described as a misplaced approach to economic diplomacy, where ambassadors invite Nigerian ministers to visit their host countries rather than attract investors to Nigeria.

“Very often, I would get letters from ambassadors asking us to come and visit the countries where they were posted, and unfortunately, most of those letters ended up in my shredder; if there was a problem of development at all, it was here, not there,” he said.

He said Nigeria’s ambassadors should focus on persuading potential investors to visit the country and experience its market and opportunities firsthand.

“Our ambassadors must invite people to come and visit Nigeria, not the other way around,” he said.

Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, called on Nigerians, professionals, institutions, and the private sector to take shared responsibility for building and protecting the country’s reputation.

Idris described the unveiling of Nigeria’s first national reputation perception index by the NIPR as an important step in understanding how the country is perceived locally and internationally.

“The report is not a verdict on Nigeria; it is a mirror, and as a responsible nation, we must have the courage to look into that mirror and act,” he said.

He acknowledged that while the report placed Nigeria in a low-trust category, progress had been recorded under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

“We are not where we used to be; while perception often lags behind reality, real progress is being made, and it must be communicated clearly, consistently and honestly,” the minister said.

Ike Neliaku, NIPR president, told journalists after the event that reputation management is fundamental to national development.

“Reputation is so key, it’s so fundamental, it’s so important that we must do everything to guide and guard the reputation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

“When reputation first becomes your mantra, before you speak or act, you weigh carefully whether it is adding to or taking from Nigeria’s reputation bank.”

The summit brought together public relations professionals, policymakers, and private sector leaders to discuss strategies for improving Nigeria’s global standing through credible governance, strategic communication, and effective diplomacy.