A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties valued at ₦213.2 billion, suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities linked to a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, and two of his sons, Abdulaziz Malami and Abiru-Rahman Malami.
Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, following an ex parte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and moved by its counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite ordered that the affected properties be temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria, having been reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. The court stated:
“It is hereby ordered that an interim order of this honourable court is hereby made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the properties described in Schedule 1 below which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”
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The judge further directed that the interim forfeiture order be published in a national daily, inviting any individual or corporate body with interest in the listed assets to show cause within 14 days why a final order of forfeiture should not be granted.
Justice Nwite subsequently adjourned the matter to January 27, 2026, for a report on compliance with the court’s directives.
According to the EFCC, the forfeited assets include luxury duplexes, hotels, plazas, schools, filling stations, agro-allied factories, warehouses, farmlands, and residential properties located across Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna States.
Some of the notable properties listed in the schedule include:
- A luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Maitama, Abuja, purchased for ₦500 million in 2022 and currently valued at ₦5.95 billion after enhancement.
- A former hotel property at Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki, Abuja, acquired for ₦7 billion.
- A five-storey hotel building at Jabi District, Abuja, currently operating as Meethaq Hotels, valued at ₦8.4 billion after completion.
- A hotel property on Rhine Street, Maitama, with a current valuation of ₦12.95 billion.
- A 100-hectare parcel of land along Birnin Kebbi–Jega Road, acquired for ₦100 million.
- Multiple residential and commercial properties in Kano, Kaduna, and Abuja, including plazas, shops, warehouses, and estates.
The court action is coming amid ongoing criminal proceedings, as Malami, his wife Bashir Asabe, and his son Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami are currently standing trial before the same court over an alleged ₦8.7 billion money laundering charge.
The EFCC alleges that the properties were acquired through illicit funds and disguised through various fronts and corporate entities, including assets reportedly linked to Khadimiyya for Justice & Development Initiative.
The interim forfeiture does not amount to a final determination of ownership, as interested parties are expected to approach the court within the stipulated time to contest the forfeiture.
