Court Orders Final Forfeiture of over 40 Properties Traced to Ex-AGF Malami, Family

Alex Enumah in Abuja

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of a Federal High Court, Abuja on Wednesday, made an order for the final forfeiture of over 40 properties linked to a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN.

Justice Abdulmalik made the order while delivering judgement in the suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commissions (EFCC), seeking final forfeiture of the affected property to the federal government on claims that they form part of proceeds of crime.

In taking the decision, the court held that the respondents failed to rebut the reasonable suspicion that the properties were acquired through unlawful activities.

Justice Abdulmalik also dismissed objections to the final forfeiture brought by Malami, his family members and some companies linked to the properties, for lacking in merit.

While stressing that the issue before the court was not “who owns the property, but how legitimate are the funds used to acquire the properties”, the court held that the respondents had “not dislodged the reasonable suspicion that the property was acquired by unlawful activities.”

Meanwhile, Abdulmalik relied principally on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act in granting the final forfeiture order.

However, she vacated the interim forfeiture order in respect of some of the properties.

Recall that Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court had in early January, ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties linked to the former AGF and two of his sons, Abdulaziz Malami and Abiru—Rahman Malami,

The properties suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities of the defendants were valued at over N213.2 billion.

The affected properties located in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna States, according to the interim order are to be forfeited to the federal government.

According to court documents the properties to be temporarily forfeited to the federal government included: Rayhaan University Buildings, Agro allied factory buildings, machines, hotels, pharmacy, supermarket, primary and secondary schools, oil and gas filling stations, shops and other buildings.

Others are luxury Duplex at Amazon Street, Plot No. 3011 Within Cadastral Zone, A06 Maitama; File No: AN enhancement 11352, which was purchased in December 2022 at N500, 000, 000.00 (value after enhancement at N5,950,000,000).

“Two Winged Large Storey Building Situate at No. 3, Onitsha Crescent, Area 11,Garki, Cadastral Zone, A03, Abuja (formerly Harmonia Hotels Limited), FCT, which was purchased Dec. 2018 at N7,000,000,000.

“Plot 683, Jabi District, Cadastral Zone B04, Comprising of a five storey Building (Now Luxurious Meethaq Hotels Ltd, Jabi with 53 rooms/suites), which was purchased in Sept. 2020 at carcass level at N850,000,000 with additional N300,000,000 to take possession (value after completion N8,400,000,000).

“Property No. 3130 within Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, FCT, Abuja, Comprising Terraces, purchased in January 2021 at N360,000,000.

“Property No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja (Meethaq Hotels Limited, Maitama With 15 ROOMS), which was purchased in February 2018 at N430,000,000 (current value after rehabilitation is N12,950,000,000).

“Plot No. 1241B, Asokoro District Zone (No. 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent) Asokoro District, which was purchased in July 2021 at N325,000,000.

“Shop No. C82 Citiscape — Shariff Plaza, Plot 739 Cadastral Zone A07, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse Il, FCT, Abuja, which was purchased in March 2024 at N120,000,000.

“No. 4 Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano, which was purchased in December 2022 at N300,000,000.

“Plot 157, Lamido Crescent, Nasarawa, GRA, Kano, purchased in July 2019 with no specific amount stated.

“A Plaza, Commercial Toilets, Laundering, Warehouse Tanks.

“100 Hectares Of Land Along Birnin Kebbi, Jega Road, which was purchased in 2020 at N100,000,000.

“Four Bedroom Bungalow Gesse Phase, Birnin Kebbi, which was purchased in 2023 at N101,000, 000.

“Shops Nos. A36, B3 Vegas Mall, Wuse 2, Abuja, which was purchased in July 2023 at N158,000,000.

“No. 26, Babbi Drive, Bua Estate, Abuja, purchased in 2022 at N136,000,000.

“No. 27, Efab Estates Avenue, 59™ Crescent, Gwarimpa, Abuja, purchased in January 2016 at N120,000,000.

“Four Bedroom/ 2 Rooms Boys Quarters At No. 10B, Doka Crescent Abakpa GRA, Kaduna, purchased in Jan. 2018 at N40, 000, 000.00.

“Plot No. 13, Ipent 7 Estate, Karsana District, Abuja, purchased in June 2018 at N85,000,000.

“A Bedroom Duplex & Boys Quarters At No. 12 Yalinga Street, Off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse Il, Abuja, purchased in Oct. 2018 at N150,000,000.

“Two Warehouse Shops B40 And B46, Wuse Market, Abuja, purchased in July 2020 at N50,000,000.

“Twin Houses At Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, Cadastral Zone B01, Plot 14014, Gudu District, Abuja, was purchased between February and May 2017 at N250,000,000.

“Properties acquired by Khadimiyya for Justice & Development Initiative at the Academic Garden City, Birnin Kebbi, sold by the Federal Housing Authority Mortgage namely.

“Others are nine units of three bedroom, bungalow, three units of two bedroom, bungalow, and 5.4 hectares of land, which were purchased between February 2023 and September 2023 at N187,000,000, among other assets listed in the schedule.

After complying with the orders of the court directing the publication of the interim forfeiture order, the anti-graft agency subsequently applied for final forfeiture which the court granted on Wednesday.

In the motion for final forfeiture of the said property, the commission had told Justice Joyce Abdulmalik that the respondents had failed to place sufficient evidence before the court, to warrant the court to vacate its earlier order for the interim forfeiture of the 57 properties.

The former AGF, his son, Abdulaziz Abubakar, wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, Abiru’ Rahman Abubakar Malami, are listed as 1st to 4th respondents in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/20/2026.

Others are Rayhaan Bustan and Agro Allied Ltd, Mountain View Gold and Jewellery Ltd, Amasdul Oil and Gas Ltd, Azbir Arena Nigeria Ltd, Meethaq Hotels Ltd as 5th to 9th respondents.

They also include Rayhaan University Ltd/GTE, Rayhaan Hotels Ltd, Zeenoor Hotels Ltd, Kawsar Ben of Brahim, Alhaji Muktaka Usman Junju, Real Edge Agro Services Ltd as 10th to 15th respondents respectively.

The application was brought pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, No. 14 of 2006.

Specifically, the commission is had sought “a final order of this honourable court forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the properties described in the schedule below, which were found by the commission as properties reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”

The application was predicated on six grounds amongst which is that the court has the statutory powers under the provisions of Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, 2006, to grant the reliefs being sought.

While observing that the motion is a non-conviction-based asset forfeiture, applicant submitted that the properties sought to be attached and forfeited are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

“This honourable court made an interim order forfeiting the properties to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“The order of the honourable court has been published in a national daily, namely THISDAY Newspaper of 9th January, 2026.

“No sufficient cause has been shown why the properties under the interim forfeiture order should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” EFCC submitted.