A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to the Federal Government after ruling that they were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered the judgment on Wednesday, granting the application of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which had sought the permanent forfeiture of the assets following an earlier interim order.
Among the forfeited assets are Rayhaan University in Kebbi State, including its permanent, temporary and third campuses, the Vice Chancellor’s residence and Rayhaan Radio, both located along the Sani Abacha Bypass in Birnin Kebbi.
Other major assets forfeited include luxury residential and commercial properties in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and Kebbi States, among them Meethaq Hotels in Jabi and Maitama, Harmonia Hotels in Garki, several duplexes, plazas, warehouses, shopping units, filling stations and hundreds of hectares of land along the Birnin Kebbi–Jega Road.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of Rayhaan Agro Allied Factory, including its buildings, machinery, plant units, mosque and staff quarters, as well as assets at Azbir Arena in Kebbi State, comprising Azbir Hotel, a printing press, gallery, gardens, mosque, clothing outlet, pharmacy and supermarket.
Also forfeited are the Zeennoor Hotel complex in Kano, including its 131-room hotel, mosque and old hotel building, the Al-Afiya Energy tanker garage, Rayhaan Security House, an uncompleted commercial plaza in Birnin Kebbi, an Amasdul Oil and Gas filling station, and several residential properties in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.
In her judgment, Justice Abdulmalik held that the EFCC had successfully established that the 48 properties were reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities and that they were not purchased from legitimate sources of income.
The judge ruled that the respondents failed to discharge the evidential burden placed on them, as they could not provide credible evidence showing the lawful sources of the funds used to acquire the properties.
She further held that merely claiming ownership of the assets was insufficient in non-conviction-based forfeiture proceedings, stressing that the law requires claimants to demonstrate that the properties were acquired with legitimately earned funds.
The forfeiture followed an interim order granted on January 6, 2026, by Justice Emeka Nwite after an ex parte application filed by EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN. In compliance with the court’s directive, the anti-graft agency published notices in national newspapers inviting interested parties to show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited.
Malami and 14 other respondents, including members of his family and associates, subsequently challenged both the interim forfeiture order and the court’s jurisdiction, urging the court to dismiss the EFCC’s application for final forfeiture.
After hearing arguments from both parties on May 27, 2026, Justice Abdulmalik reserved judgment before delivering Wednesday’s ruling in favour of the EFCC, transferring ownership of the 48 properties to the Federal Government.
