The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, to the Federal Government.
The judgment was delivered on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The EFCC had initially sought the final forfeiture of 57 properties allegedly linked to the former minister, his family members and associates, but the court held that there was credible evidence establishing genuine ownership in respect of nine of the listed properties.
Justice Abdulmalik held that Malami failed to rebut the reasonable suspicion that the 48 properties were acquired through proceeds of unlawful activities.
The court also rejected arguments that some of the properties belonged to the larger Malami family in Kebbi State, holding that the central issue was not merely who owned the properties, but whether the funds used to acquire them were legitimate.
According to the court, Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act empowers the court to order the final forfeiture of assets reasonably suspected to have been acquired through unlawful activities.
The judgment followed months of civil forfeiture proceedings filed by the EFCC after it earlier secured an interim forfeiture order over 57 properties allegedly linked to Malami.
TNL had earlier reported that the properties were valued by the EFCC at about ₦212.8 billion and were said to be located in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna states.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the assets were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities and held in the names of individuals and companies allegedly acting as fronts for the former AGF.
After the interim forfeiture order was granted, the court directed the EFCC to publish a notice inviting anyone with interest in the properties to appear and show cause why they should not be finally forfeited to the government.
Malami opposed the EFCC’s application and asked the court to set aside the interim forfeiture order, insisting that the properties were legitimately acquired.
He argued that the assets were listed in asset declaration forms filed with the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, and maintained that the EFCC failed to provide credible evidence that they were acquired through proceeds of crime.
The former AGF also accused the commission of relying on suspicion, exaggerating the value of the assets and misleading the court through what he described as manipulated valuation.
At the adoption of final addresses, EFCC counsel, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, urged the court to grant the final forfeiture order, relying on a 47-paragraph affidavit and 46 exhibits filed in support of the motion.
Okutepa argued that Malami and other respondents failedry explanations regarding the legitimate sources of funds used to acquire the properties. citeturn349118view4
He submitted that the respondents had “woefully failed to show cause” why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
However, Malami’s counsel, Adedayo Adedeji, SAN, urged the court to dismiss the EFCC’s application and discharge the interim forfeiture order.
Adedeji argued that the EFCC’s case was based on suspicion rather than concrete evidence linking the assets to any crime.
He also contended that some of the disputed properties were acquired before Malami became Attorney-General of the Federation and could not reasonably be tied to alleged criminal conduct during his tenure.
In its judgment, the court held that the EFCC established sufficient basis for the final forfeiture of 48 of the properties, while nine were excluded on the ground that their ownership was credibly explained.
Some of the properties earlier listed in the EFCC’s schedule included a luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Maitama, Abuja; a large storey building on Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki, Abuja; a five-storey hotel building at Jabi District; properties in Asokoro, Maitama, Wuse II, Gwarimpa and Apo Legislative Quarters; as well as properties in Kano, Kaduna and Kebbi.
The schedule also included shops, hotels, warehouses, plazas, residential buildings, large parcels of land and properties allegedly linked to Khadimiyya for Justice and Development Initiative.
Malami, who served as Attorney-General of the Federation from November 11, 2015, to May 29, 2023, is also facing a separate 16-count money laundering charge.
He was arraigned alongside his son, Abdulaziz, and one of his wives, Hajia Bashir Asabe, over allegations of laundering public funds said to be about ₦9 billion.
The defendants have pleaded not guilty to the criminal charge.
Malami has consistently denied wrongdoing and insisted that the disputed assets were lawfully acquired.
The final forfeiture order now permanently transfers the 48 affected properties to the Fedral Government, subject to any appeal that may be filed by the former minister or other interested parties.
The post “48 Properties Forfeited” — Court Orders Final Seizure Of Malami-Linked Assets appeared first on TheNigeriaLawyer.
