Abuja – A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and two of his sons, Abdulaziz Malami and Abiru-Rahman Malami, to the Federal Government.
According to a statement on Wednesday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) spokesman, Dele Oyewale, Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order on Tuesday following an ex-parte application filed by EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho.
The properties, valued at about N213.2 billion, are located in Abuja as well as Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna States, and are suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. Justice Nwite directed that the listed assets be temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government.
“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,” the judge ruled.
The EFCC has also been instructed to publish the order in a national newspaper, allowing interested parties 14 days to show cause why the properties should not be permanently forfeited. The case has been adjourned to January 27, 2026, for a report on compliance.
The listed assets include university buildings, hotels, schools, filling stations, warehouses, residential buildings, plazas, shops, factories, and large parcels of land across the four states and the Federal Capital Territory. Notable properties include:
- Luxury duplex at Amazon Street, Maitama, Abuja, purchased in December 2022 at N500 million, now valued at N5.95 billion.
- Two-storey large building at Onitsha Crescent, Garki, Abuja (formerly Harmonia Hotels), purchased in December 2018 at N7 billion.
- Five-storey building in Jabi District, Abuja (Meethaq Hotels Ltd), purchased in September 2020 at N850 million, current value N8.4 billion.
- Meethaq Hotels, Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja, purchased in February 2018 at N430 million, now valued at N12.95 billion.
- Various plots, shops, warehouses, and bungalows in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, and Kebbi States, purchased between 2016 and 2024, with values ranging from N40 million to N158 million.
Malami, his wife Bashir Asabe, and son Abubakar Abdulaziz are already standing trial before Justice Nwite over alleged N8.7 billion money laundering.
