Court orders interim forfeiture of 57 properties linked to Malami, valued at N213.2bn
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and two of his sons, Abdulaziz Malami and Abiru-Rahman Malami, to the Federal Government.
Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order following an ex-parte motion filed by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ekele Iheanacho (SAN). The properties, valued at N213,234,120,000, are located across Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna States.
“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,” Justice Nwite said in his ruling.
The judge directed that the interim order be published in a national daily, inviting any person or entity with interest in the properties to show cause within 14 days why a final forfeiture order should not be made. He adjourned the matter to January 27, 2026, for a compliance report.
Malami, his wife Bashir Asabe, and his son Abubakar Abdulaziz are currently facing an alleged N8.7 billion money laundering charge before Justice Nwite.
The properties include a mix of landed and commercial assets such as luxury duplexes, hotels, schools, agro-allied factory buildings, oil and gas filling stations, supermarkets, shops, and other structures. Notable among them are a luxury duplex in Maitama, Abuja, now valued at N5.95 billion; a two-storey building in Garki, Abuja, purchased for N7 billion; and Meethaq Hotels Ltd in Jabi and Maitama, Abuja, valued at N8.4 billion and N12.95 billion respectively.
Other assets include 100 hectares of land along Birnin Kebbi–Jega Road purchased for N100 million, as well as multiple residential and commercial properties acquired between 2016 and 2024 across Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna, including bungalows, duplexes, shops, warehouses, and plots of land.
The EFCC said the forfeiture is part of ongoing efforts to recover assets linked to alleged corrupt practices by public officials.
