By Francis Wilfred
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties valued at about ₦213.2 billion, allegedly linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, and two of his sons, Abdulaziz Malami and Abiru-Rahman Malami.The order was granted on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, by Justice Emeka Nwite following an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).The application was moved by EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, who urged the court to forfeit the properties on the grounds that they were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
In a statement signed by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the anti-graft agency disclosed that the affected assets are located across Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna states.According to the statement, the properties—comprising hotels, schools, filling stations, factories, plazas, residential buildings and large parcels of land—are collectively valued at ₦213,234,120,000.Granting the application, Justice Nwite ruled: “It is hereby ordered that an interim order of this honourable court is made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the properties described in Schedule One below, which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”
The judge further directed that the interim forfeiture order be published in a national daily newspaper. He invited any individual or organisation with an interest in the listed properties to appear before the court within 14 days of publication to show cause why a final forfeiture order should not be made.Justice Nwite adjourned the matter to January 27, 2026, for a report on compliance with the court’s directives.Among the properties listed for interim forfeiture are luxury residential and commercial assets in highbrow districts of Abuja, including Maitama, Asokoro, Garki, Wuse II, Jabi, Gwarimpa and Apo Legislative Quarters. Notable assets include a luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Maitama, reportedly acquired in December 2022 for ₦500 million and now valued at about ₦5.95 billion after enhancement, as well as a five-storey hotel building in Jabi, Abuja, purchased at carcass level in 2020 and now valued at ₦8.4 billion.
Other properties include hotels in Maitama and Garki, shopping plazas in Wuse II, warehouses in Wuse Market, residential properties in Abuja estates, and large commercial and residential assets in Kano, Kebbi and Kaduna states.The list also features agro-allied factories, university buildings, schools, oil and gas filling stations, and over 100 hectares of land along the Birnin Kebbi–Jega Road.The interim forfeiture order is linked to an ongoing criminal trial in which Malami, his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, are standing trial before the same court over alleged ₦8.7 billion money laundering offences.The defendants are facing a 16-count charge bordering on conspiracy and laundering of proceeds of unlawful activities, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.The EFCC maintains that the properties were acquired through funds suspected to be proceeds of crime, a claim that will be tested as the case progresses.
