Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, to the Federal Government, in a major victory for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in its ongoing crackdown on alleged money laundering and illicit asset acquisition. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, delivering judgment on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, held that the anti-graft agency had successfully established that the properties were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and were not acquired with lawful sources of income. The ruling follows an interim forfeiture order granted in January 2026 and marks the culmination of civil proceedings initiated by the EFCC seeking the permanent forfeiture of 57 properties valued at over N212 billion.
In her judgment, Justice Abdulmalik dismissed several applications, motions on notice, and objections filed by Malami, his family members, and companies linked to the properties, describing them as "wanting in merit". The judge emphasised that the central issue before the court was not who owned the properties but rather "how legitimate are the funds used to acquire the properties". She held that the respondents had "not dislodged the reasonable suspicion that the property was acquired by unlawful activities", and relied principally on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act to grant the final forfeiture order. However, the court discharged the interim forfeiture order in respect of nine properties, ruling that the EFCC was unable to prove that those assets were obtained through unlawful activities.
The EFCC had initially sought the forfeiture of 57 properties, which it alleged were proceeds of unlawful activities linked to Malami. On January 16, 2026, vacation judge Justice Emeka Nwite granted an interim forfeiture order and directed the commission to publish the order in a national newspaper, inviting anyone with an interest in the assets to appear before the court and show cause why they should not be permanently forfeited. The properties, spread across Abuja, Kano, Kebbi, and Kaduna states, included luxury duplexes, hotels, schools, shopping malls, filling stations, and other commercial buildings. Among the high-value assets were a five-storey building in Jabi now operating as Luxurious Meethaq Hotels Ltd, valued at over N8.4 billion; a property on Rhine Street, Maitama, valued at N12.95 billion; and a large storey building in Garki, Abuja, purchased for N7 billion.
Following the publication, Malami, his wife Nana Hadiza Malami, his son Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, and several companies linked to the properties filed objections challenging the interim forfeiture order. They argued that the properties were lawfully acquired and had been properly declared in asset declaration forms filed with the Code of Conduct Bureau in 2019 and 2023. The respondents further contended that the EFCC relied on speculation rather than credible evidence and failed to establish any nexus between the assets and the alleged unlawful activities. They maintained that the commission neither proved that the properties were proceeds of crime nor identified any specific criminal offence from which they were derived.
The EFCC countered that its investigations showed the properties were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities and held in the names of individuals and companies acting as fronts for Malami. The commission argued that under civil forfeiture proceedings, it only needed to establish "reasonable suspicion" and did not have to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. Both sides adopted their final written addresses in May 2026, after which Justice Abdulmalik reserved judgment. The judgment was initially fixed for July 6 but was postponed twice before the final ruling was delivered on Wednesday.
The final forfeiture does not amount to a criminal conviction or establish the guilt of anyone. Malami, his wife, and his son are currently facing a 16-count money laundering charge before the same court, involving allegations that they laundered public funds totalling about N9 billion. Malami, who served as Justice Minister from November 11, 2015, to May 29, 2023, under former President Muhammadu Buhari's administration, has consistently maintained his innocence and denied all allegations of wrongdoing. His legal team had approached the court to have the EFCC's application set aside, insisting the properties were legitimately acquired and appropriately declared.
The ruling represents a significant milestone in the EFCC's efforts to recover assets suspected to be proceeds of crime, particularly those linked to high-profile public officials. It also underscores the legal principle that civil forfeiture proceedings require only a reasonable suspicion of illicit acquisition, a lower threshold than the criminal standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt. While Malami and his family continue to face criminal charges, the final forfeiture of the 48 properties marks a substantial recovery of assets for the Federal Government. The case has drawn widespread attention as one of the most high-profile asset recovery efforts involving a former Attorney-General, and the outcome is expected to have implications for future forfeiture proceedings in Nigeria.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments