Court orders final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to ex-Attorney-General Malami

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of 48 properties allegedly acquired with proceeds of crime by Abubakar Malami, Nigeria's immediate past Attorney-General and Minister of Justice. The court ruled that the properties should be permanently seized by the federal government.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik stated that Malami, who served from November 2015 to May 2023, failed to rebut the reasonable suspicion that the assets were obtained through unlawful activities. The court dismissed arguments that some properties belonged to the broader Malami family, emphasizing that the core issue was the legitimacy of the funds used for acquisition, not just ownership.

The forfeiture order follows an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which had initially sought to seize 57 properties valued at over 212 billion naira (approximately $130 million USD). The EFCC presented evidence suggesting these properties, located in Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, and the Federal Capital Territory, were acquired with illicit funds.

However, the court found credible evidence of legitimate ownership for nine of the listed properties, thus excluding them from the forfeiture. The EFCC had previously secured an interim forfeiture order for the assets.

Malami is currently facing a 16-count money laundering charge, along with his son, Abdulaziz, and one of his wives, Hajia Bashir Asabe. They are accused of laundering approximately 9 billion naira in public funds. The EFCC alleges that Malami acquired these properties in various cities to conceal the proceeds of his alleged crimes.