Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to overturn an interim forfeiture order placed on several properties allegedly linked to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Malami is asking the court to vacate the order, arguing that the affected properties were acquired through legitimate means and fully declared to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) during his time in public service.
In a motion on notice filed by his legal team and led by senior advocate Joseph Daudu, Malami accused the EFCC of obtaining the forfeiture order through misrepresentation and the suppression of critical facts. He maintained that the anti-graft agency failed to disclose that the assets in question were already captured in his official asset declarations, as required by law.
According to court documents, Malami stated that his earnings over the years sufficiently account for the acquisition of the properties. He listed multiple lawful income sources, including salaries, estacodes, severance benefits, sitting allowances from judicial and presidential committees, business proceeds, asset disposals, loans to private ventures, and income from book publications.
He also disclosed receiving traditional gifts from friends and associates, stressing that such gifts are culturally acceptable and legally permissible under Nigerian law.
The former minister is specifically contesting the interim forfeiture of three properties identified in the EFCC’s ex parte application filed on January 6, 2026. These include a plot of land located in Nasarawa Government Reserved Area (GRA) in Kano State, a duplex with boys’ quarters in Wuse II, Abuja, and a partially completed building said to be held in trust for the estate of his late father.
Malami argued that the EFCC failed to establish any prima facie evidence linking the properties to proceeds of crime. He further contended that the interim forfeiture violates his constitutional rights, including the right to property ownership, presumption of innocence, and fair hearing.
He urged the court to dismiss the forfeiture proceedings, warning that allowing the order to stand could result in a miscarriage of justice and reputational damage.
Earlier, Justice Emeka Nwite had granted the EFCC’s request for the temporary forfeiture of 57 properties allegedly associated with Malami. The court also directed the commission to publish the order, inviting interested parties to appear within 14 days to show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
However, Malami’s legal team argued that the valuations presented by the EFCC were exaggerated and misleading. They also raised concerns about overlapping legal actions, stating that some of the properties are subjects of ongoing disputes in other courts.
Following the filing of multiple applications challenging the forfeiture, the matter was reportedly reassigned after the court’s vacation period to allow for proper adjudication.
The case adds to the growing list of high-profile legal battles involving former public office holders and Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies, as courts continue to weigh asset forfeiture powers against constitutional safeguards.
