- Court orders forfeiture of 57 properties linked to Abubakar Malami
- EFCC secured the order through an ex parte application
- Assets spread across Abuja, Kano, Kebbi, Kaduna
- Interested parties given 14 days to challenge the order
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), following allegations that the assets are proceeds of unlawful activities.
Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order on Tuesday after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed an ex parte application through its counsel, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN).
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A certified copy of the ruling, sighted on Wednesday, showed that the properties, valued in billions of naira are located in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna states.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite stated that the assets were reasonably suspected to have been acquired through unlawful means and should be temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government of
“It is hereby ordered that an interim order of forfeiture is made in respect of the properties listed, which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities,” the judge ruled.
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The court further directed that the forfeiture order be published in a national newspaper to allow any individual or organisation with an interest in the properties to appear within 14 days and show cause why a final forfeiture should not be granted.
This legal process allows affected parties to challenge the seizure before the court decides whether the forfeiture will become permanent.
Justice Nwite adjourned the matter to January 27 for a report on compliance with the court’s directives.
Among the properties listed are luxury hotels, duplexes, plazas, commercial buildings, warehouses, farmlands and residential estates acquired between 2016 and 2024, many of them located in prime areas of Abuja.
Malami, his wife Hajia Bashir Asabe, and his son Abubakar Abdulaziz are currently standing trial over an alleged ₦8.7 billion money laundering case before the same court.
The former justice minister is yet to publicly respond to the latest court order.
