ABUJA — Former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, SAN, has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to set aside the interim forfeiture order granted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on three of his properties, which were among 57 assets the agency listed for forfeiture to the Federal Government.
Malami, who served under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, is specifically contesting the forfeiture of properties listed as Nos. 9, 18, and 48 in the EFCC’s ex-parte motion filed on January 6, 2026.
The affected properties include:
- Plot 157, Lamido Crescent, Nasarawa GRA, Kano, purchased in July 2019;
- A five-bedroom duplex and boys’ quarters at No. 12, Yalinga Street, Off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, reportedly acquired for ₦150 million in October 2018; and
- The ADC Kadi Malami Foundation Building, valued at ₦56 million.
Justice Nwite, who served as the vacation judge, had on January 6 ordered the temporary forfeiture of 57 properties suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities linked to the former minister, following an ex-parte application by EFCC’s counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN.
The court also directed the EFCC to publish the forfeiture order in a national newspaper, inviting interested parties to appear within 14 days to show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited.
However, in a motion on notice filed through his legal team led by Joseph Daudu, SAN, Malami accused the EFCC of obtaining the interim order through “suppression of material facts and misrepresentation.”
He urged the court to vacate the order, describing the commission’s actions as a violation of his fundamental rights to own property, enjoy the presumption of innocence, and live peacefully with his family.
Malami’s application sought two key reliefs:
- An order vacating the interim forfeiture of the three listed properties, which he said were lawfully acquired and duly declared in his asset declaration forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in 2019 and 2023.
- An order restraining the EFCC from interfering with or taking possession of the said properties while the matter is before the court.
Arguing on 14 grounds, Daudu maintained that the properties in question were not linked to any unlawful activity and had been transparently included in Malami’s official asset declarations during his tenure.
He further explained that Property No. 48 — the Kadi Malami Foundation Building — is held in trust for the estate of Malami’s late father, Kadi Malami of Nasarawa.
“These assets, their value, and their root of title have been clearly stated and specifically demonstrated in the various asset declaration forms spanning from 2019 to 2023,” Daudu said, adding that the declarations provide prima facie evidence of legitimate acquisition and ownership.
The case adds a new twist to the ongoing investigation by the EFCC into properties allegedly linked to the former AGF, as the court prepares to rule on Malami’s motion seeking to overturn the forfeiture order.
