Nigeria drops terrorism charges against ex-justice minister: lawyer

Nigerian authorities have withdrawn terrorism financing charges against former justice minister Abubakar Malami, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

Malami was earlier this year charged with "knowingly" abetting "terrorism financing by refusing to prosecute terrorism financiers whose case files were brought to (his) office".

His lawyer, Adedayo Adedeji, told reporters outside court on Wednesday that "we were served with an amended charge... expunging that part that has to do with terrorism financing and limiting it to possession of firearms".

Malami and his son, Abdulaziz Malami, also faced charges of wanting to commit "terrorism" by having an unlicensed pistol and ammunition at his home.

They both pleaded not guilty to the illegal possession of firearms charges, he said.

Nigerian media likewise reported that a lawyer for the secret police, the Department of State Services, told a court in Abuja that the terrorism allegations had been dropped but the firearms charges remained.

Malami, who served as attorney general and justice minister between November 2015 and May 2023, also faces allegations of financial crimes.

In January, the country's anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, accused him, along with his wife and son, of laundering money worth 8.7 billion naira (about $6.5 million).

He was granted bail on the now-amended terrorism charges in February.

Malami is among several top officials from the administration of former president Muhammadu Buhari -- who was praised for his anti-corruption stance -- to face trial for fraud.

Former central bank governor Godwin Emefiele and ex-labour minister Chris Ngige are in court over similar allegations.