The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that 57 properties allegedly linked to a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, should be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

In a motion on notice seeking a final forfeiture order, filed by its legal team led by Mr. Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, and Mr. Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, the EFCC informed Justice Joyce Abdulmalik that the respondents had failed to present sufficient evidence to persuade the court to discharge the earlier interim forfeiture order.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/20/2026, listed Mr. Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, Hajia Bashir Asabe, and Abiru’ Rahman Abubakar Malami as 1st to 4th respondents.

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

Also listed are Rayhaan University Ltd/GTE, Rayhaan Hotels Ltd, Zeenoor Hotels Ltd, Kawsar Ben of Brahim, Alhaji Muktaka Usman Junju, and Real Edge Agro Services Ltd as 10th to 15th respondents.

The application was brought pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, No. 14 of 2006. The EFCC 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 to be reasonably suspected proceeds of unlawful activities.”

Advancing six grounds in support of the application, Mr. Okutepa submitted that the court possesses the statutory powers under Section 17 of the Act to grant the reliefs sought, describing the case as a non-conviction-based asset forfeiture proceeding.

According to him, the properties sought to be 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 was published in a national daily, namely THISDAY Newspaper of 9 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,” he argued.

In an affidavit supporting the motion, Mr. Daniel Adebayo, an investigating officer with the Special Duties Committee of the EFCC, stated that he deposed to the affidavit with the consent of the EFCC Chairman and based on facts gathered during the investigation.

He stated that the commission received several petitions from different organisations alleging corruption, abuse of office, and fraud against the former minister. Following these petitions, the investigative team conducted extensive inquiries, including obtaining financial records from commercial banks and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He added that the team also wrote to and received responses from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), the Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS), the land registries of Kebbi, Sokoto, and Kano States, the Kebbi State Inland Revenue Service, the FCT Inland Revenue Service, and the National Universities Commission (NUC). The investigation also involved visits to landed properties that had been sold and valuation of the assets.

Mr. Adebayo stated that several individuals connected to the investigation were invited and interviewed.

He outlined Mr. Malami’s lawful sources of income between 2015 and 2023, including salaries, allowances, and estacodes, which he said were not proportionate to the value of the properties allegedly acquired.

“I know as a fact and verily believe the findings of the investigation, which are as follows:

“Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, served as the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation from 2015 to 2023. He was paid a total of N89,664,000.00 as salary during this period, with an average monthly payment of N962,663.68.

“He also received a severance allowance of N12,158,400.00 at the end of his tenure.

“Mr. Malami, SAN, was paid estacode allowances for official foreign trips. He declared a total sum of N253,608,500.00 for such trips between 2015 and 2023 in a letter dated 16 June 2023 to the Chairman of the CCB as an addendum to his asset declaration form.

“Attached and marked as Exhibits EFCC 2 and 3 are copies of the asset declaration forms completed by Mr. Malami, SAN, from 2015 to 2023, together with the addendum letter found during the execution of a search warrant at his residence.”

He further alleged that, aside from the disproportionate acquisition of properties, building permits or approvals were not obtained for many of the structures in Kano and Kebbi States, which he described as part of a scheme to conceal the unlawful origin of the funds.

Mr. Adebayo also alleged that some assets were acquired either directly in Mr. Malami’s name or through third parties and front companies linked to the Rayhaan Group Ltd, where he is said to serve as chairman.

The EFCC listed 57 multi-billion-naira landed properties located in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna States, including the temporary and permanent sites of Rayhaan University in Kebbi.

Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to 21 April for hearing.

NAN reports that a sister court presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite had, on 6 January, ordered the interim forfeiture of the properties following an ex parte application moved by Mr. Iheanacho. The court directed the EFCC to publish the order in a national daily for interested persons to show cause within 14 days why the properties should not be permanently forfeited.

The matter was later reassigned to Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who recused himself for personal reasons, after which it was reassigned to Justice Abdulmalik.

Mr. Malami and the other respondents have since challenged the EFCC’s civil suit and are seeking to have the interim forfeiture order vacated.