Abuja — A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties valued at ₦213,234,120,000 to the Federal Government of Nigeria over allegations that the assets are proceeds of unlawful activities linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abdulaziz Malami (SAN), and members of his family.
Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order following an ex-parte motion filed by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ekele Iheanacho (SAN).
The properties, which are located in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna States, comprise a wide range of commercial, educational, residential, and industrial assets.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite held:
“It is hereby ordered that an interim order of this honourable court is hereby made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the properties described in Schedule 1 below, which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”
The court further ordered that the interim forfeiture be published in a national daily, inviting any individual or organisation with an interest in the properties to show cause within 14 days why a final forfeiture order should not be made.
The matter was adjourned to January 27, 2026, for a report on compliance.
Malami, alongside his wife Bashir Asabe and son Abubakar Abdulaziz, is currently facing an ₦8.7 billion money laundering charge before Justice Nwite.
Assets Listed for Interim Forfeiture
The properties include university buildings, agro-allied factories, hotels, pharmacies, supermarkets, primary and secondary schools, oil and gas filling stations, plazas, shops, warehouses, and residential buildings.
Some of the notable properties include:
- Luxury duplex, Amazon Street, Maitama, Abuja — purchased in December 2022 for ₦500m; enhanced value ₦5.95bn
- Two-winged storey building, No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki, Abuja (formerly Harmonia Hotels) — ₦7bn
- Five-storey Meethaq Hotels, Jabi, Abuja (53 rooms) — valued at ₦8.4bn
- Meethaq Hotels, Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja — current value ₦12.95bn
- Terrace buildings, Asokoro District, Abuja — ₦360m
- Commercial shop, Citiscape–Shariff Plaza, Wuse II — ₦120m
- Residential property, Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano — ₦300m
- 100 hectares of land, Birnin Kebbi–Jega Road — ₦100m
- Four-bedroom bungalow, Gesse Phase, Birnin Kebbi — ₦101m
- Shops at Vegas Mall, Wuse II, Abuja — ₦158m
- Residential property, Babbi Drive, BUA Estate, Abuja — ₦136m
The interim forfeiture marks a significant step in the EFCC’s ongoing asset recovery efforts linked to alleged financial crimes.
