The Federal High Court in Abuja orders the interim forfeiture of 57 properties valued at about N213.2 billion, allegedly linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and two of his sons. The court rules that the assets are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
Justice Emeka Nwite grants the order after an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mediaplusng.com reports. The properties, spread across Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna states, are ordered to be temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government pending the conclusion of investigations.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite states that the court is satisfied that the assets listed are linked to alleged unlawful activities. He directs that the interim forfeiture order be published in a national newspaper to allow any interested party to appear within 14 days and show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The judge also adjourns the matter to January 27, 2026, for a report on compliance with the court’s directives, Mediaplusng.com notes. The ruling comes amid ongoing legal proceedings involving Malami, his wife, and one of his sons over an alleged N8.7 billion money laundering case before the same court.
According to court documents, the affected properties include hotels, luxury duplexes, schools, shopping plazas, fuel stations, warehouses, farmlands, and residential buildings. Some of the assets are located in highbrow areas of Abuja such as Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse II, Jabi, Gwarimpa, and Apo Legislative Quarters.
Among the listed properties are luxury hotel facilities in Maitama and Jabi, a five-storey hotel building, shopping units in Wuse and Abuja malls, residential duplexes in Abuja and Kano, and large parcels of land in Kebbi State. The EFCC alleges that several of the properties were acquired within a short period and far exceed the known legitimate income of the defendants.
The anti-graft agency maintains that the assets are linked to complex financial transactions currently under investigation. It insists that the interim forfeiture is necessary to prevent the disposal or transfer of the properties while the case is ongoing.
Legal observers say the ruling marks a major development in the EFCC’s asset recovery efforts involving high-profile former public officials. The court stresses that the interim order does not amount to a final forfeiture and that affected parties still have the opportunity to contest the claims.
The case continues as the court awaits responses from interested parties and further submissions from the EFCC ahead of the next hearing date.
