Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has withdrawn himself from the two cases instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
The judge announced his recusal on Thursday, February 12, 2026, citing personal reasons and the interest of justice.
Justice Egwuatu had been recently re-assigned the matters by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho.
The withdrawal came shortly after the civil suit seeking the final forfeiture of 57 properties allegedly linked to Malami was called for mention in open court.
The cases were previously handled by Justice Emeka Nwite, who presided over them as the vacation judge during the 2025 Christmas and New Year break.
Further details on the reasons for the recusal or the next steps in the proceedings are yet to be disclosed.
The development follows the EFCC’s ongoing efforts to recover assets it claims were acquired through corrupt means during Malami’s tenure as AGF.
No date has been set for the re-assignment of the cases to another judge.
