By Suleiman Anyalewechi
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 Properties suspected to be proceeds of illegal activities strongly believed to be linked to the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami.
The order was sequel to an ex-parte motion brought before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFFC, against Malami, his wife and son.
According to the motion filed by the Commission’s Counsel, Ekele Iheanacho SAN, the properties are located in choice areas of Kaduna, Abuja, Kebbi and Kaduna states.
In the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the order issued on Tuesday January 6, 2026, but was released on Wednesday, Justice Emeka Nwite, also directed the publication of the order of interim forfeiture in a National daily, inviting interested persons to show cause(s) why the said properties should not be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria within 14 days of the publication.
“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”, Justice Nwite ruled.
Some of the said properties as listed in the schedule include Luxury Duplex on Amazon street, Plot No 3011 Maitama Abuja, two winged story building on Onitsha Crescent Area II Abuja.( formally Harmonia Hotels Limited), Plot 683 ,Jabi District , Cadastral Zone B04 comprising five story building ( now Luxurious Meethaq Hotels Ltd ,Jabi with 53 rooms/ suites ,and property No 3130 within Cadastral Zone A04 ,Asokoro District FCT Abuja.
Others are property No 3 Rhine Street , Maitama Abuja ( Meethaq Hotels Ltd Maitama with 15 rooms) ,plot No 1241B Asokoro District Zone ( No 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent Asokoro District ,as well as others located in Kano , Kaduna and Kebbi states.
The EFCC in the 16 count charge accused the former Minister of Justice, his wife and an employee of a firm linked to Malami (Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd), as well as his son of carrying out various suspicious transactions ,and attempting to conceal the origin of billions of naira through bank accounts and property acquisitions.
The offences were said to have been committed between 2015 and 2023, when Malami served as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice under the administration of late President Mohammadu Buhari.
According to the anti-corruption Commission, the former Minister, his wife and son conspired to disguise the origin of funds, acquire property by proxy, and retain sums they, allegedly, knew were proceeds of unlawful activities, in violation of extant laws , particularly the Money Laundering ( Prohibition and Prevention ) Acts of 2011 and 2022 as amended.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
