A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 high-value properties linked to Abubakar Malami, Nigeria’s immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, marking one of the most sweeping asset seizures tied to a former top public official in recent years.
Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order on Tuesday following an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is probing a multi-billion-naira money-laundering scheme involving the former minister, his immediate family, and companies allegedly connected to them.
The properties – many of them luxury homes, hotels, commercial buildings, plazas and vast parcels of land – are spread across Abuja, Kano, Kebbi and Kaduna states, according to court documents. The assets are suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, though no final determination has yet been made.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the EFCC had presented sufficient material to warrant interim forfeiture.
“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 said.
The court further ordered that the forfeiture be published in a national newspaper, inviting any individual or organisation with a legal interest in the properties to appear within 14 days and show cause why a final forfeiture order should not be granted. The case was adjourned to January 27 for a report of compliance.
A Vast Property Trail
Court filings reveal a property trail running into hundreds of billions of naira, accumulated over several years, many during the period Malami served as Attorney-General under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Among the assets listed are:
- A luxury duplex in Maitama, Abuja, acquired in 2022 for ₦500 million and later enhanced to an estimated value of nearly ₦6 billion.
- A large commercial building formerly operated as a hotel in Area 11, Garki, reportedly purchased for ₦7 billion.
- A five-storey hotel complex in Jabi, valued after completion at about ₦8.4 billion.
- A rehabilitated hotel property in Maitama, now valued at almost ₦13 billion.
- Multiple high-end residential properties in Asokoro, Wuse, Gwarimpa and Apo districts of Abuja.
- Commercial plazas, warehouses, shopping mall units and over 100 hectares of land in Kano and Kebbi.
Several of the properties are allegedly linked to corporate entities and foundations connected to Malami or his associates.
Criminal Charges Ongoing
The interim forfeiture order is separate from an ongoing criminal trial in which Malami, his wife Asabe Bashir, and his son Abubakar Abdulaziz are facing an ₦8.7 billion money-laundering charge before the same court.
In the 16-count charge filed by the EFCC, prosecutors say that the defendants conducted suspicious financial transactions, concealed the origin of funds, and acquired high-value assets through indirect channels between 2015 and 2025.
The EFCC further alleges that more than ₦1 billion was concealed through corporate accounts, including transactions involving an auto firm, with knowledge that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.
Malami’s legal team has previously denied wrongdoing.
The case has drawn public attention not only for its scale, but also for what it represents: a rare legal confrontation with a former justice minister who once served as the country’s chief law officer.
After weeks in jail, Malami, his wife and son, were granted bail on Wednesday at half a billion naira each.
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