The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of 48 properties valued at approximately ₦212 billion that were linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered the ruling after granting the application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), dismissing objections raised by Malami, members of his family, and several companies that claimed ownership of the affected assets.
According to the court, the central issue was not the identity of the owners but whether the funds used to acquire the properties were obtained through legitimate means.
“The issue before the court is not who owns the property, but how legitimate are the funds used to acquire the properties,” Justice Abdulmalik ruled while dismissing the objections for lacking merit.
The ruling means that 48 of the 57 properties initially placed under an interim forfeiture order will now be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The assets are spread across Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna states and include luxury hotels, residential estates, duplexes, commercial plazas, warehouses, shopping complexes, schools, university facilities, industrial plants, and other high-value investments.
Among the notable properties listed are luxury hotels in Maitama and Jabi, Abuja, high-end residential buildings in Asokoro and Gwarimpa, commercial properties in Wuse, extensive land holdings in Kebbi State, Rayhaan University campuses, Rayhaan Agro Allied Factory, Azbir Hotel and Arena facilities, educational institutions, oil and gas infrastructure, and hospitality businesses in Kano.
The EFCC had earlier secured an interim forfeiture order covering all 57 assets as part of its investigation into the acquisition of the properties. Following the court’s final decision, 48 of those assets will now officially become property of the Federal Government, while the remaining properties are excluded from the final forfeiture order.
The judgment marks one of the most significant asset forfeiture rulings in Nigeria in recent years, involving properties collectively valued at more than ₦212 billion.
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As of the time of filing this report, neither Abubakar Malami nor his legal team had issued an official response to the court’s ruling.
