Abubakar Malami wants to return to public office with another shot at the 2027 Kebbi State governorship election under the African Democratic Congress. However, before voters decide his political future, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, secured the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice after a court ruled they were proceeds of unlawful activity.
Delivering judgment, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, held that the EFCC had successfully established that the properties were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and were not acquired from lawful sources of income.
In January 2026, the EFCC filed a civil asset forfeiture suit against Malami, targeting 57 assets the commission valued at more than ₦212 billion. It alleged that the properties were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activity while he served as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice between 2015 and 2023. Subsequently, a Federal High Court in Abuja granted the EFCC an interim forfeiture order over the assets.
Following the interim order, the EFCC published notices in public media outlets, inviting anyone with an interest in the properties to appear before the court and show cause why they should not be finally forfeited, while also filing a motion seeking the final forfeiture of all properties. In response, only Malami and 14 others, his family members and associates, filed applications asking the court to set aside the interim forfeiture order.
The case, initially heard on May 27, 2026, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, was adjourned till July 15, 2026, when the court affirmed that the EFCC had established that 48 of the 57 properties were acquired through unlawful activities.
Following the judgment, 48 properties were ordered forfeited, while the court discharged the interim forfeiture order in respect of the remaining assets, based on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offenses Act, to grant the final forfeiture order. The judge held that Malami and his co-respondents failed to “rebut the reasonable suspicion” that the properties were acquired through unlawful activities.
According to Premium Times’ report of the proceedings, the judge outlined several financial records and declarations presented before the court concerning the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice. For instance, evidence showed that Malami earned a total salary of ₦89.664 million during his tenure as minister from 2015 to 2023 and received ₦12.158 million as a severance allowance upon leaving office.
The judge also noted that Malami disclosed ₦253.609 million as his official earnings in an addendum to his asset declaration submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) through a letter dated 16 June 2023.
The court further examined documents showing that, while acting as guarantor for Raywan Retails Ltd in securing a Zenith Bank credit facility, Malami declared before a notary public on 10 September 2020 that his personal assets were worth ₦41 million and his monthly net income after expenses was ₦397,000.
Judge Abdulmalik dismissed the respondents’ objections to the EFCC’s valuation reports, ruling that property valuations are not mathematically exact and that different valuers may arrive at different figures. She held that Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offenses Act does not require valuation reports before granting forfeiture orders, stressing that the legal threshold is the existence of reasonable suspicion, not a criminal conviction or pending charges, as forfeiture proceedings are directed at the property rather than its owner.
The judge also rejected the respondents’ claim that some of the properties were acquired through loans, noting the absence of any traceable repayment history or evidence linking the purchases to lawful income, business records, or legitimate financial transactions. She concluded that the EFCC acted within the law in its investigation and had established a prima facie case that the 48 properties were proceeds of unlawful activities, citing the respondents’ failure to demonstrate a lawful source of funds.
The Federal High Court ordered the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to the former Attorney-General of the Federation to the Federal Government. The forfeited assets span Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna States and include hotels, residential buildings, commercial properties, educational institutions, factories, and vast expanses of land.
- A luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Plot No. 3011, Cadastral Zone A06, Maitama District.
- A two-winged, three-storey building at No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki (formerly Harmonia Hotels Limited).
- Plot 683, Jabi District, comprising the five-storey Meethaq Hotels with 53 rooms.
- Terraces on Property No. 3130, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District.
- Meethaq Hotels, Maitama, a 15-room hotel at No. 3 Rhine Street.
- Property at No. 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro District.
- Shop No. C52, Citiscape–Shariff Plaza, Wuse II.
- Shops A36 and B3, Vegas Mall, Wuse II.
- No. 26 Babbi Drive, BUA Estate.
- No. 27 EFAB Estate, Gwarimpa.
- Plot No. 13, IPENT 7 Estate, Karsana District.
- A duplex with boys’ quarters at No. 12 Yalinga Street, Wuse II.
- Warehouse shops B40 and B46 at Wuse Market.
- Twin houses at Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, Gudu District.
- Rayhaan University, including its permanent, temporary and third campuses, the Vice-Chancellor’s residence, and Rayhaan Radio.
- Rayhaan Agro Allied Factory, including factory buildings, machinery, plant units, factory mosque, staff quarters, and the Rayhaan Bustan Building.
- Azbir Arena, comprising Azbir Hotel, Printing Press, Gallery, Gardens, Mosque, Azbir Clothing, and Azbir Pharmacy and Supermarket.
- Al-Afiya Energy tanker garage opposite the Rayhaan University Health Centre.
- Rayhaan Security House.
- An uncompleted two-storey plaza opposite the Central Motor Park, Birnin Kebbi.
- Amasdul Oil and Gas filling station structure along Sani Abacha Bypass.
- A commercial plaza near Birnin Kebbi Market.
- Two separate 100-hectare parcels of land along the Birnin Kebbi–Jega Road.
- A four-bedroom bungalow at Gesse Phase II.
- Nine three-bedroom bungalows, three two-bedroom bungalows, and 5.4 hectares of land at Academic Garden City, acquired through Khadimiyya for Justice & Development Initiative.
- A commercial building at No. 4 Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA.
- Plot 157, Lamido Nasarawa GRA.
- Zeennoor Hotel at Kabuga Satellite Town, comprising 131 rooms.
- Zeennoor Mosque.
- The old Zeennoor Hotel building.
- A four-bedroom house with two-room boys’ quarters at No. 10B Doka Crescent, Abakpa GRA.
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