EFCC seeks final forfeiture of 57 Malami-linked properties
By: Abudu Olalekan
Fifty-seven properties tied to ex-AGF Abubakar Malami are under scrutiny, as the EFCC pushes a federal court in Abuja to seize them for good. Though claims swirl around their origin, legal steps now aim to transfer ownership outright. With documents filed last week, judges must decide whether these assets stay locked by state order. Ownership hinges on findings that suggest misuse of public office. Since investigations closed months ago, attention shifts to courtroom outcomes. If approved, the move would mark one of the largest asset seizures in recent years. Courts have yet to schedule arguments, but pressure builds for resolution.
Out of nowhere, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission wants Abuja’s Federal High Court to seal the deal on taking 57 assets tied to ex-Attorney General Abubakar Malami. These holdings might never go back, if authorities have their way. Property links point straight to his time as top legal officer. Instead of returning them, officials say they should belong to the nation now. With little warning, the request landed in court. Ownership could shift without a reversal. Though unconfirmed, signs suggest strong backing for the move. From start to finish, it hinges on judicial approval. For good measure, each asset is under scrutiny. Not one detail escapes review. Since filing, tension lingers around outcome.
The anti-graft agency spoke before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, explaining that proof offered by those opposing was too weak to undo what the court had ruled earlier. Its legal team, headed by Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) alongside Ekele Iheanacho (SAN), submitted documents showing gaps in reasoning from the other side. That ruling – about temporary seizure of assets – remains valid because doubt wasn’t properly raised. What came through clearly: assumptions were made without backing facts. One thing stood out – the burden lay on them, yet they didn’t meet it. So the prior decision holds, at least until stronger arguments appear.
Folded into case number FHC/ABJ/CS/20/2026, the legal filing pulls in Malami, Hajia Bashir Asabe, plus Rahman Abubakar Malami – all tagged as parties on record. Linked firms appear too, entities believed tied to holdings under scrutiny.
A court received a request through an application by the EFCC, lodged under Section 17 of the 2006 law on fraud-related offences. Properties now sit in legal crosshairs after authorities labeled them likely gains from illegal acts. What comes next hinges on judicial approval for permanent seizure – called here a “final order.” Paperwork points to suspicion, not yet proof, tying real estate to wrongdoing.
Finding fault lines in the argument, Okutepa pointed out this wasn’t about conviction but forfeiture under existing law. Power rested with the court, he stressed, to approve what was asked. Legal authority backed the move, regardless of trial outcome.
That day in court, he mentioned a temporary seizure decision was already issued. The notice showed up in THISDAY on January 9, 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,” he argued.
A statement filed by EFCC officer Daniel Adebayo shows the agency responded to multiple complaints. These raised concerns about misconduct, misuse of authority, wrongdoing tied to the ex-minister. From there, investigations followed.
Adebayo mentioned that pulling together bank documents started things off. Financial data came through from the Central Bank too. Instead of stopping there, they reached out to the Corporate Affairs Commission. The Federal Inland Revenue Service handed over details as well. From another direction, the Code of Conduct Bureau shared what it had. Even the Abuja Geographical Information System got pulled into the loop.
Not long ago, he mentioned checking land records across Kebbi, Sokoto, and Kano. On top of that, teams went to see the properties face to face, getting each one appraised. The process included hands on reviews, making sure every detail was clear. Because of this, values came from real observations, not just paperwork alone.
Folks tied to the deals got called in, he said, when they went through the probe. Questioning followed after invitations reached them mid-inquiry.
Beyond his paychecks and perks since 2015, Adebayo pointed out that what Malami earned falls short of covering the assets being examined. Though salaries and benefits added up over those years, their total still doesn’t line up with what he owns. Even counting every official payment, the numbers don’t stretch far enough.
Funds behind several properties may trace back to the ex-minister, according to his statement. These assets, it turns out, passed through middlemen and shell companies tied to him. In Kano and Kebbi, construction began on certain structures despite missing official permits. That gap in paperwork? A way – so he put it – to hide where the money really came from.
A stash of 57 land plots popped up in EFCC records, spread through Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna. Tied to Rayhaan University in Kebbi, these sites carry an estimated value near N213.2 billion.
A date set by Justice Abdulmalik lands on April 21 for the case to be heard.
A court move comes after Justice Emeka Nwite ruled back on January 8, 2026. That decision allowed temporary seizure of assets, prompted solely by a request from the EFCC. The prior ruling took effect without the other party present. One step came before the next, quietly shaping what followed.
One week after the ruling, details were to appear in a major daily – giving anyone concerned two weeks to explain why property taken shouldn’t stay seized. A notice would run nationally, allowing time for objections before final disposal.
Later came Malami along with the others who answered back, pushing to undo what had been ordered by the court.
