Malami Challenges EFCC Over N213bn Property Forfeiture

ABUJA, Nigeria – Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has filed a strong legal challenge at the Federal High Court in Abuja against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the interim forfeiture of 57 properties linked to him and members of his family.

In an affidavit sighted by NaijaChoice News, Malami maintained that the assets, which the EFCC valued at over N213 billion, were lawfully acquired through decades of private legal practice, legitimate business investments, and declared income. He insisted there is no prima facie evidence connecting any of the properties to proceeds of crime.

The EFCC had secured the interim forfeiture order in January 2026 on suspicion that the properties, spread across Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna states, were proceeds of unlawful activities. The list includes the temporary and permanent sites of Rayhaan University in Kebbi State among other assets.

Malami, however, rejected the allegations, describing them as speculative and lacking credible proof. “There is no document before the court showing these properties were acquired with proceeds of crime,” he stated in the court papers.

A major plank of his defence centres on the valuation of the assets. The former AGF accused the EFCC of significantly inflating the worth of the properties to bolster its case. He argued that several assets acquired for hundreds of millions of naira were presented as worth billions, a position he said independent valuers have contradicted with more realistic assessments.

Malami detailed multiple legitimate sources of his wealth. These include over three decades of successful legal practice as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, investments in hospitality, agriculture, and education sectors, loans from commercial banks, proceeds from the sale of other assets, and earnings from book launches. He added that all his income and assets were duly declared to the Code of Conduct Bureau in line with the law.

Beyond the substance of the asset acquisition, Malami accused the EFCC of violating due process in the execution of the interim order. He claimed that operatives seized properties without a final court order, evicted family members from their residences, and confiscated vital documents. He described these actions as extrajudicial and unconstitutional.

NaijaChoice News understands that the case is tied to ongoing criminal proceedings against the former AGF. The outcome is expected to set a significant precedent on the scope of the EFCC’s asset forfeiture powers and the extent to which constitutional safeguards on property rights and due process must be observed.

The Federal High Court will now determine whether the 57 properties will be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government or returned to Malami and the other respondents. Hearing on the matter continues as both sides prepare for what promises to be a landmark legal showdown.