EFCC Seeks Final Forfeiture Of 57 Properties Linked To Malami

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to grant a final forfeiture order on 57 properties allegedly linked to a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

The anti-graft agency made the request on Thursday in a motion on notice filed by its legal team led by Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) and Ekele Iheanacho (SAN) before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.

In the application marked FHC/ABJ/CS/20/2026, the EFCC listed Malami, Hajia Bashir Asabe and Abiru’ Rahman Abubakar Malami as respondents, alongside several companies allegedly connected to the assets.

The Commission, relying on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, 2006, is seeking “a final order of this honourable court forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the properties described in the schedule below, which were found by the commission as properties reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”

Arguing the motion, Okutepa told the court that the matter was a non-conviction-based forfeiture proceeding, stressing that the court had the statutory authority to grant the request.

“This honourable court made an interim order forfeiting the properties to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” he said.

“The order of the honourable court has been published in a national daily, namely THISDAY Newspaper of 9th January, 2026.

“No sufficient cause has been shown why the properties under the interim forfeiture order should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” Okutepa argued.

In an affidavit deposed to by an EFCC investigator, Daniel Adebayo, the Commission said it received multiple petitions alleging corruption, abuse of office and fraud against the former minister.

According to Adebayo, investigations included obtaining financial records from banks and the Central Bank of Nigeria, as well as inquiries from agencies such as the Corporate Affairs Commission, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Code of Conduct Bureau and the Abuja Geographical Information System.

He added that land registries in Kebbi, Sokoto and Kano States were also examined, while the properties were physically verified and valued. Individuals linked to the transactions were also invited and interviewed.

Adebayo told the court that Malami’s earnings while in office between 2015 and 2023 were not commensurate with the value of the assets under investigation.

“I know as a fact and verily believe the findings of the investigation, which are as follows, “Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, was the Hon. Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, hereinafter referred to as HAGF, from 2015 to 2023.

“He was paid a total of N89,664,000.00 as salary between 2015 and 2023, whilst in office, with an average payment of N962,663.68 per month.

“He also received a severance allowance of N12,158,400.00 at the end of his tenure in office.

“Mr. Malami SAN was also paid estacodes allowances to cover his travel expenses whenever he travelled outside the country on official trips.

“He calculated and declared a total sum of N253,608,500.00 as the amount he received for the official trips between 2015 and 2023 in a letter written to the Chairman of the CCB as an addendum to his Assets Declaration Form in June 2023.

“Attached and collectively marked as Exhibit EFCC 2 & 3 are copies of the asset declaration forms filled out by Mr. Malami SAN from 2015 to 2023, together with a letter dated 16th of June, 2023 written by him to the Chairman of the CCB as addendum to the assets declaration form as found at his house during EFCC’s execution of a search warrant.”

He further alleged that many of the properties were acquired in a manner inconsistent with lawful income and without proper approvals.

“Aside from the actual acquisition of the properties which are manifestly disproportionate to Mr. Malami SAN’s known and lawful sources of income, no building permits/approvals from appropriate authorities were obtained to erect most of the various structures in Kano and Kebbi States as part of a scheme to disguise unlawful origin of the funds used to acquire the assets,” Adebayo stated.

The EFCC also alleged that some of the assets were acquired through proxies and corporate entities linked to the former minister.

The 57 properties, valued at about N213.2 billion, are spread across Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna States, with some assets reportedly tied to Rayhaan University in Kebbi.

Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to April 21 for hearing.

The case followed an earlier ruling by Justice Emeka Nwite on January 8, 2026, granting an interim forfeiture order on the properties after an ex parte application by the EFCC.

LEADERSHIP reports that the court had directed that the assets be temporarily forfeited to the federal government and ordered the Commission to publish the order in a national newspaper, allowing interested parties 14 days to show cause why the properties should not be permanently forfeited.

Malami and other respondents subsequently challenged the interim forfeiture, urging the court to set aside the order.