The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to the Federal Government.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered the judgment on Wednesday, ruling that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had established reasonable grounds to suspect that the properties were acquired through proceeds of unlawful activities.
The court rejected several applications and objections filed by Malami, members of his family and companies associated with the properties. Justice Abdulmalik held that the respondents failed to sufficiently counter the EFCC’s suspicion regarding the source of the funds used to acquire the assets.
The judge stressed that the central question before the court was not simply who owned the properties, but whether the money used to acquire them came from legitimate sources.
The EFCC had initially sought the permanent forfeiture of 57 properties estimated at about ₦212.8 billion. The assets are spread across Abuja, Kano, Kebbi and Kaduna states and include residential buildings, hotels, commercial properties, warehouses, land and other major investments.
The commission commenced the civil forfeiture proceedings in January 2026, alleging that the properties were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities and were held through family members and companies allegedly connected to Malami.
On January 16, Justice Emeka Nwite, sitting as the vacation judge of the Federal High Court, had granted an interim forfeiture order covering the properties. He also directed the EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper so that anyone claiming an interest in the assets could appear before the court and explain why they should not be permanently forfeited.
Following the publication, Malami, his wife Nana Hadiza Malami, his son Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami and several companies filed objections. They argued that the properties had been legally acquired and that the EFCC had failed to establish a connection between the assets and any criminal activity.
The EFCC maintained that its investigation had uncovered evidence indicating that the properties were acquired with unlawful proceeds. The commission argued that the applicable law required it to establish reasonable suspicion rather than prove the allegations to the criminal standard of beyond reasonable doubt.
In her judgment, Justice Abdulmalik relied principally on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act in granting the final forfeiture order.
However, the court did not uphold the forfeiture of all 57 properties initially listed by the EFCC. It discharged the interim forfeiture order concerning nine properties after finding that the commission had not established a sufficient connection between those assets and unlawful activities. The properties finally forfeited were reported to be worth about ₦180.4 billion based on the EFCC’s valuations.
Among the properties forfeited are a luxury duplex on Amazon Street in Maitama, Abuja; a large three-storey building on Onitsha Crescent in Garki; a five-storey property housing Meethaq Hotels in Jabi; properties in Asokoro and other high-value parts of Abuja; commercial shops and warehouses; hotels in Kano; large parcels of land in Kebbi; and several business and industrial assets.
The forfeited assets also include Rayhaan University-related buildings and facilities, an agro-allied factory and its machinery, hotels, a pharmacy and supermarket, filling stations, commercial plazas and other properties in Kebbi State.
The court’s decision followed months of proceedings after both sides adopted their final written addresses in May. Judgment, originally scheduled for July 6, was subsequently postponed twice before being delivered on July 15, 2026.
The forfeiture proceedings are civil in nature and are separate from the criminal case involving Malami, his wife and son over alleged money laundering charges.
