By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA – A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday,, ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties valued at about N213.23 billion, suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities linked to a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and two of his sons, Abdulaziz Malami and Abiru-Rahman Malami.
The order was made by Justice Emeka Nwite, following an ex parte motion moved by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ekele Iheanacho (SAN), seeking the temporary forfeiture of the assets to the Federal Government pending further proceedings.
The properties, which run into several billions of naira, are spread across Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna states, and comprise hotels, schools, shopping plazas, filling stations, warehouses, residential estates and large expanses of land.
In granting the application, Justice Nwite held:
“It is hereby ordered that an interim order of this honourable court is hereby made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the properties described in Schedule 1 below which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”
The court further directed that the interim forfeiture order be published in a national daily to enable interested parties to challenge the action. According to the judge, the publication should be made, “inviting any person(s) or body (ies) who may have interest in the properties listed in the schedule to show cause, within 14 days of the publication, why a final order of forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria of the said assets and properties, should not be made.”
Justice Nwite subsequently adjourned the matter to January 27, 2026, for a report of compliance with the court’s orders.
The interim forfeiture comes amid an ongoing criminal trial, as Malami, his wife, Bashir Asabe, and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz, are currently before the same court over an alleged N8.7 billion money-laundering charge.
Court documents describe the affected assets as a vast portfolio of commercial, educational and residential properties, including Rayhaan University buildings, agro-allied factory facilities, hotels, pharmacies, supermarkets, primary and secondary schools, oil and gas filling stations, shops and other structures.
Among them is a luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Maitama, Abuja, purchased in December 2022 for N500 million and later enhanced to an assessed value of N5.95 billion. Also listed is a two-winged large storey building at No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki, Abuja, formerly Harmonia Hotels Limited, acquired in December 2018 for N7 billion.
Other high-value assets include a five-storey hotel complex on Plot 683, Jabi District, now operating as Meethaq Hotels Ltd with 53 rooms, purchased in September 2020 at carcass level for N850 million, with an additional N300 million paid to take possession, and currently valued at N8.4 billion.
Also on the list are Meethaq Hotels Limited, Maitama, a 15-room facility bought in February 2018 for N430 million and now valued at N12.95 billion; terraces in Asokoro District; shopping units at Citiscape, Wuse II; residential properties in Kano GRA, Kaduna, Gwarimpa and Apo Legislative Quarters; as well as multiple warehouses and shops in Wuse Market, Abuja.
In Kebbi State, the properties include 100 hectares of land along the Birnin Kebbi–Jega Road, purchased in 2020 for N100 million; a four-bedroom bungalow in Gesse Phase, Birnin Kebbi; and assets acquired by Khadimiyya for Justice & Development Initiative at Academic Garden City, Birnin Kebbi, comprising several bungalow units and 5.4 hectares of land bought between February and September 2023 for N187 million.
The EFCC is seeking a final forfeiture of the assets at the conclusion of proceedings, subject to any objections that may be raised by interested parties within the period stipulated by the court.
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