The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to grant a final order forfeiting 57 properties allegedly linked to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to the Federal Government.
The anti-graft agency made the request in a motion on notice filed before the court, insisting that the respondents in the matter failed to provide enough evidence to justify setting aside the interim forfeiture order earlier granted by the court.
The application, filed in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/20/2026, is before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Also listed in the suit are Hajia Bashir Asabe, Abiru’ Rahman Abubakar Malami, as well as a number of companies said to be connected to the disputed assets.
The commission is seeking a final order under the provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, 2006, asking the court to permanently transfer ownership of the assets to the Federal Government on the grounds that they are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
According to the EFCC, the forfeiture proceedings are based on a non-conviction-based asset recovery process, a legal mechanism that allows the court to order the seizure and forfeiture of suspicious assets even where there has not yet been a criminal conviction, provided the agency can establish reasonable grounds.
The commission argued that the court had earlier granted an interim forfeiture order and directed that the order be published publicly to allow any interested party to come forward and show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited.
It further maintained that no sufficient legal or factual basis had been placed before the court to overturn that earlier order.
In support of the application, the EFCC relied on an affidavit deposed to by one of its investigators, who outlined the scope of the agency’s investigation into the assets.
According to the commission, the probe began following several petitions alleging corruption, abuse of office and fraud against the former minister.
The EFCC said it carried out extensive investigations by obtaining financial records from commercial banks and the Central Bank of Nigeria, while also making inquiries from several government institutions and regulatory agencies.
Among the agencies reportedly contacted were the Corporate Affairs Commission, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Code of Conduct Bureau, and the Abuja Geographical Information System.
The anti-graft agency also stated that land registries in Kebbi, Kano, and Sokoto states were queried as part of efforts to trace ownership records and land documentation linked to the properties.
Investigators said the identified assets were physically verified and valued, while several individuals allegedly connected to the transactions were invited for questioning during the course of the investigation.
A major plank of the EFCC’s case is its claim that Malami’s known earnings while serving in public office between 2015 and 2023 were not proportional to the value of the assets under investigation.
According to the agency, records obtained during the investigation showed that the former minister earned N89.664 million in salaries over the period he served in office, with an average monthly pay put at N962,663.68.
The commission also stated that he received a severance allowance of N12.158 million at the end of his tenure.
In addition to this, the EFCC said Malami declared receiving N253.608 million as estacode and official travel allowances for trips undertaken while in office.
The anti-graft agency said these declarations were among the materials recovered and examined as part of the case, including documents relating to asset declarations and official correspondence.
Despite these declared earnings, the EFCC contended that the total value and spread of the identified assets were manifestly disproportionate to his known lawful income.
The commission also alleged that some of the properties were acquired through proxies and corporate entities in an attempt to conceal the true ownership and origin of the funds used for the acquisitions.
According to the EFCC, this formed part of what it described as a broader pattern of asset concealment and financial layering.
The agency further claimed that several of the structures, especially in parts of Kano and Kebbi states, were developed without obtaining building permits or approvals from the relevant authorities.
Investigators argued that this raised further suspicion about the legitimacy of the assets and the circumstances surrounding their development.
The 57 properties listed in the application are spread across Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, and Kebbi states.
Among the assets mentioned are landed properties and high-value developments, including assets reportedly tied to Rayhaan University in Kebbi State.
The properties are collectively estimated to be worth about N213.2 billion, making the case one of the high-profile asset forfeiture proceedings currently before the court.
The latest application follows an earlier ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on January 8, 2026, when the court granted an interim forfeiture order over the 57 properties.
That earlier order directed that the assets be temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government pending further proceedings.
The court also ordered that the interim order be published in a national newspaper so that any person with an interest in the properties could appear before the court within the stipulated time to explain why the assets should not be permanently forfeited.
Following the publication and the interim order, Malami and other respondents challenged the proceedings and urged the court to vacate the order.
However, the EFCC has now insisted that the court should dismiss those objections and proceed to grant a final forfeiture order in favour of the Federal Government.
Justice Abdulmalik has fixed April 21, 2026, for hearing in the matter.
The scheduled hearing is expected to determine whether the respondents can successfully convince the court to set aside the interim order or whether the properties will be permanently forfeited as requested by the anti-graft agency.
The case is likely to attract national attention given Malami’s former position as the country’s chief law officer and the scale of the assets involved.
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