BREAKING: Court Orders Final Forfeiture of 48 Properties Linked to Ex-AGF Malami

Federal High Court Grants EFCC's Application After Ruling Assets Were Sufficiently Linked to Alleged Proceeds of Unlawful Activities                                                                        

                                    

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to the Federal Government.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who delivered the judgment on Wednesday, ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had established the legal threshold of reasonable suspicion required to justify the permanent forfeiture of the assets under Nigeria's asset recovery laws.

The ruling follows a civil forfeiture application filed by the EFCC, which initially sought the permanent forfeiture of 57 properties allegedly connected to Malami and valued at about ₦212.8 billion. After considering objections filed by Malami, members of his family and several companies claiming ownership of the assets, the court ordered the forfeiture of 48 properties, while nine were not included in the final order.

In her judgment, Justice Abdulmalik held that the respondents failed to satisfactorily explain the legitimate sources of funds used to acquire the forfeited properties. She emphasized that the central issue before the court was not ownership of the assets, but whether they were acquired through lawful means.

The court also dismissed multiple applications and objections filed by Malami, his relatives and associated companies, describing them as lacking merit. It held that the EFCC had presented sufficient evidence to warrant the permanent seizure of the affected assets in accordance with the law.

According to court documents, the forfeited assets include a wide range of properties, among them residential and commercial buildings, landed properties and other high-value real estate allegedly linked to the former justice minister. Some reports also indicate that a university forms part of the forfeited assets.

The forfeiture proceedings are civil in nature and are separate from ongoing criminal cases involving Malami and members of his family. The court's decision on the assets does not constitute a criminal conviction or a finding of guilt. Criminal proceedings related to separate allegations remain before the courts.

The judgment represents one of the EFCC's most significant asset recovery victories in recent years and forms part of the agency's broader campaign to recover assets suspected to have been acquired through unlawful means.

Malami has not publicly commented on the latest ruling. It remains to be seen whether he or other affected parties will appeal the decision.