Nigeria ex‑Attorney General Abubakar Malami loses over 40 properties in court‑ordered forfeiture

A Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that more than 40 properties linked to former Attorney‑General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami are to be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik dismissed applications and motions filed by Malami, his wife Nana Hadiza, his son Abdulaziz and companies associated with the assets, finding they failed to prove the properties were acquired from legitimate sources. Citing reasonable suspicion of proceeds of unlawful activities, the court granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) application under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act. The EFCC had originally sought forfeiture of 57 assets valued at about ₦212.8 billion; the court ordered final forfeiture of 48 properties in one judgment and excluded nine from the order.

In a related action, the EFCC also obtained an interim forfeiture order for a land parcel at Plot 1, Sabon Gida, Abuja, pending further investigation. The order was granted by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie to preserve the property while the commission’s probe continues.