Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has asked the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to set aside an interim forfeiture order placed on three properties by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Malami is challenging the anti-graft agency over three properties listed as Nos. 9, 18, and 48 among 57 assets temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government following an ex parte application granted on January 6, 2026.
The disputed properties include Plot 157, Lamido Crescent, Nasarawa GRA, Kano, acquired on July 31, 2019; a four-bedroom duplex with boys’ quarters located at No. 12, Yalinga Street, Wuse II, Abuja, reportedly purchased in October 2018 for ₦150 million; and the ADC Kadi Malami Foundation Building, said to have been acquired for ₦56 million.
Justice Emeka Nwite, sitting as a vacation judge, had ordered the interim forfeiture of the 57 properties suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities allegedly linked to Malami. The order followed an ex parte motion moved by EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN.
The court also directed the EFCC to publish the forfeiture order in a national newspaper, inviting interested parties to show cause within 14 days why the properties should not be permanently forfeited.
However, in a motion on notice filed on his behalf by a legal team led by Joseph Daudu, SAN, Malami accused the EFCC of securing the interim order through suppression of material facts and misrepresentation.
The former AGF argued that the forfeiture proceedings violated his fundamental rights, including his right to property, the presumption of innocence, and the peaceful enjoyment of his family life. He urged the court to dismiss the suit to prevent what he described as duplicative litigation and the risk of conflicting decisions.
Malami is seeking an order setting aside the interim forfeiture as it relates to the three properties, insisting that they were fully disclosed in his asset declaration forms throughout his tenure as a public officer. He also asked the court to restrain the EFCC from interfering with his ownership, possession, or control of the properties pending the determination of the suit.
In a 14-point argument, Daudu contended that the EFCC failed to establish prima facie evidence linking the properties to any unlawful activity or specific offence.
He disclosed that properties listed as Nos. 9 and 18 were declared to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in Malami’s asset declaration forms for 2019 and 2023, respectively.
According to the defence, property No. 48 is held in trust by Malami for the estate of his late father, Kadi Malami.
“These assets, their values, and their root of title have been clearly stated and demonstrated in the asset declaration forms spanning from 2019 to 2023,” Daudu told the court, adding that the declarations constitute prima facie evidence of lawful ownership.
The matter is expected to continue as the court considers Malami’s application to discharge the interim forfeiture order.
