Malami’s 48 Forfeited Properties

A Federal High Court in the Federal Capital Territory has ruled in favour of the Federal Government for the final forfeiture of 48 properties belonging to Abubakar Malami (SAN), a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

Malami did not introduce the laws of forfeiture to Nigeria’s legal framework.

But as Nigeria’s longest serving AGF, he strengthened processes and forfeiture proceedings, using them as tools for fighting corruption and money laundering.

Under his watch and through court proceedings, more properties were forfeited to the government than at any time since the Second Republic, affecting notable public figures such as former First Lady Patience Jonathan and former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Malami himself hasn’t always been a big property owner in the FCT and across the many states where the government seeks to enforce the seizure order.

Offering legal advice to political parties and fighting for the mandates of politicians in election petition tribunals can be very profitable.

But in this case, the government couldn’t see the jump from living on the generosity of a friend in a small Kumasi Crescent apartment to 48 properties across the country.