Court adjourns Malami, son’s trial to March 10
Court adjourns Malami, son’s trial to March 10 after the Federal High Court in Abuja shifted the alleged terrorism case involving former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and his son, Abdulaziz, to March 10, 2026. 
The adjournment followed an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo, who told the court he needed time to properly study the case file because the matter was recently transferred from the Department of State Services (DSS) to the Department of Public Prosecutions. 
In her ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted the request and fixed March 10 for trial, directing the prosecution to open its case on that date. 
That order is important because it turns the next hearing into a deadline, not another mention date. In other words, Court adjourns Malami, son’s trial to March 10 with a clear expectation that the Federal Government must be ready to move beyond preliminaries. 
Defence reaction: “Proceed or strike it out”
Counsel to the defendants, Adedayo Adedeji, did not oppose the request for adjournment. But he urged the court to strike out the case if the prosecution fails to commence trial on the next adjourned date, alleging a lack of diligent prosecution. 
This pushback frames the politics of delay around the case. The defence is basically saying: Court adjourns Malami, son’s trial to March 10, so March 10 should be the day the state either goes forward or stops consuming the court’s time. 
What the case is about
The DSS arraigned Malami and his son on February 3 on a five-count charge bordering on terrorism-related allegations and unlawful possession of firearms, according to PUNCH’s earlier reporting on the matter. 
The charge is marked FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026. In that filing, the DSS accused Malami of allegedly refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers despite case files said to have been forwarded to him while he served as AGF and Minister of Justice. 
Other coverage has included further details of the allegations and listed items referenced in the firearms counts, though those claims remain unproven and are for the court to test through evidence. 
This is the wider context behind today’s headline: Court adjourns Malami, son’s trial to March 10 in a case the state is pitching as national security-linked, and the defence is already challenging on grounds of delay and prosecution readiness. 
https://ogelenews.ng/court-adjourns-malami-sons-trial-to-march-10
How earlier delays set the stage for March 10
This is not the first time the case has been rescheduled.
On February 20, the trial was adjourned to February 27 because of a public holiday declared by the FCT Minister ahead of area council elections, according to PUNCH. 
The postponement fed public attention because it added a political calendar factor to a case that already sits under intense scrutiny. It also explains why the defence is now pushing harder on timelines and why Court adjourns Malami, son’s trial to March 10 carries more weight than a routine adjournment. 
There is also the bail layer. In related proceedings reported in late February, the court granted Malami and his son ₦200 million bail each in the terrorism financing and firearms case. 
So when Court adjourns Malami, son’s trial to March 10, it happens against a background where bail has been argued and decided, and the court is now pushing the prosecution to begin calling evidence rather than recycling applications. 
Why the transfer from DSS to DPPF matters
From the prosecution’s side, Oyedepo’s request is tied to a structural change: the file moving from the DSS lane into the DPPF lane, which typically means the Ministry of Justice is taking a more direct role in pushing the case forward.
Oyedepo assumed duty as DPP after his appointment (reported earlier), and the DPP office is often the engine room for federal prosecutions in sensitive cases. 
This is why the court’s direction is sharp: Court adjourns Malami, son’s trial to March 10, and the judge explicitly ordered the prosecution to open its case on that date, effectively telling the state to settle into trial mode. 
What to watch on March 10
Three things will likely shape what happens next:
1. Whether the prosecution opens its case as ordered, and calls its first witness. 
2. How the defence responds if the state seeks more time again, given the defence request that the matter be struck out for lack of diligent prosecution. 
3. The court’s tone on delay going forward, especially after previous adjournments and the public profile of the defendants. 
For now, the verified update is straightforward: Court adjourns Malami, son’s trial to March 10, and the prosecution has been ordered to open its case on that day.
https://punchng.com/just-in-court-adjourns-malami-sons-trial-to-march-10
