Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of more than 40 properties linked to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

Justice Abdulmalik granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) application after holding that the respondents failed to rebut the reasonable suspicion that the properties were acquired through unlawful activities.

Before delivering the substantive judgment, the judge dismissed several applications, motions on notice, and applications to show cause filed by Malami, members of his family, and companies linked to the properties, describing them as “wanting in merit”.

She held that the issue before the court was not who owned the properties but whether the funds used to acquire them were legitimate.

According to the judge, the respondents had “not dislodged the reasonable suspicion that the property was acquired by unlawful activities”.

Justice 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 properties.

The EFCC instituted the civil forfeiture proceedings in January, seeking the permanent forfeiture of 57 properties valued at ₦212.8 billion, which it alleged were proceeds of unlawful activities linked to the former Attorney General and Justice Minister.

On 16 January, during the Federal High Court’s annual vacation, Justice Emeka Nwite granted an interim forfeiture order over the properties.

He also directed the EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper, inviting anyone with an interest in the assets to appear before the court and show cause why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

The properties are located in the Federal Capital Territory, Kano, Kebbi, and Kaduna states.

Following the publication, Malami, his wife, Nana Hadiza Malami, his son, Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, and several companies linked to the properties filed objections.

They urged the court to dismiss the EFCC’s application and set aside the interim forfeiture order, arguing that it was wrongly granted.

They further maintained that the properties were lawfully acquired and that the EFCC failed to establish any connection between the assets and any unlawful activity.

The respondents also argued that the commission relied on speculation rather than credible evidence, insisting that it neither proved the properties were proceeds of crime nor identified any specific criminal offence from which the assets were derived.

After the Federal High Court resumed from its annual vacation, the case was reassigned to Justice Abdulmalik for hearing and determination.

At the hearing, the EFCC maintained that its investigation showed the properties were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities and held in the names of individuals and companies acting as fronts for Malami.

The commission urged the court to make the interim forfeiture order final, arguing that under the law it was only required to establish “reasonable suspicion”, rather than prove its case “beyond reasonable doubt”.

In late May, both parties adopted their final written addresses, after which Justice Abdulmalik reserved judgment.

The court initially fixed 6 July for judgment but later postponed its decision twice before delivering the ruling on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the EFCC has published the list of the forfeited properties on its X handle. They include a luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Plot No. 3011, Cadastral Zone A06, Maitama District, Abuja; a two-wing, three-storey building at No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki, Abuja, formerly occupied by Harmonia Hotels Limited; Plot 683, Jabi District, Abuja, comprising the five-storey Meethaq Hotels Ltd. with 53 rooms and suites; Property No. 3130 in Asokoro District, Abuja, comprising terrace buildings; Property No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, housing Meethaq Hotels Ltd. with 15 rooms; and Plot No. 1241B, No. 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro District.

Other properties include Shop No. C52, Citiscape-Shariff Plaza, Wuse II, Abuja; No. 4 Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano; Plot 157, Lamido Crescent, Nasarawa GRA, Kano; a commercial plaza adjacent to Birnin Kebbi Market; two separate 100-hectare parcels of land along the Birnin Kebbi-Jega Road; a four-bedroom bungalow at Gesse Phase II, Birnin Kebbi; Shops A36 and B3 at Vegas Mall, Wuse II, Abuja; houses at BUA Estate, EFAB Estate, Gwarimpa, Karsana District, Wuse II, and Apo Legislative Quarters in Abuja; warehouse shops at Wuse Market; and residential properties in Kaduna.

The forfeited assets also include properties acquired by Khadimiyya for Justice & Development Initiative at Academic Garden City, Birnin Kebbi, comprising nine three-bedroom bungalows, three two-bedroom bungalows, and 5.4 hectares of land.

The EFCC further listed the Rayhaan Agro Allied Factory in Kebbi State, including its factory buildings, machinery, mosque, staff quarters, and Rayhaan Bustan Building.

Also forfeited are assets at Azbir Arena in Kebbi State, including Azbir Hotel, a printing press, gallery, gardens, mosque, clothing outlet, pharmacy, supermarket, the Al-Afiya Energy tanker garage, Rayhaan Security House, an uncompleted two-storey plaza opposite the Central Motor Park in Birnin Kebbi, an Amasdul Oil and Gas Ltd. filling station structure, the 131-room Zeennoor Hotel in Kano, the Zeennoor Mosque, and the old Zeennoor Hotel building.