Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency has asked a federal court to order the permanent forfeiture of 57 properties allegedly linked to former Attorney General Abubakar Malami.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission filed the motion before the Federal High Court in Abuja, arguing that the properties are suspected proceeds of unlawful activities.
In its application, the commission said the respondents failed to provide sufficient evidence to overturn an earlier interim forfeiture order granted by the court.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/20/2026, lists Malami, Hajia Bashir Asabe and Abiru’ Rahman Abubakar Malami, alongside several companies allegedly linked to the assets.
EFCC cites non-conviction-based forfeiture
Counsel to the EFCC, Jibrin Okutepa and Ekele Iheanacho, told the court the case is a non-conviction-based forfeiture proceeding under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, 2006.
They said the court has the authority to grant a final forfeiture order, noting that the interim order had already been published in a national newspaper.
“No sufficient cause has been shown why the properties under the interim forfeiture order should not be finally forfeited,” the EFCC said.
Investigation details
In an affidavit, EFCC investigator Daniel Adebayo said the commission received multiple petitions alleging corruption, abuse of office and fraud against Malami.
He said investigators obtained financial records from banks and the Central Bank of Nigeria and made inquiries with agencies including the Corporate Affairs Commission, Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Code of Conduct Bureau.
Land registries in Kebbi, Sokoto and Kano states were also examined, while the properties were physically verified and valued, he said.
Income ‘not commensurate’ with assets
According to the EFCC, Malami’s earnings while in office from 2015 to 2023 were not consistent with the value of the properties under investigation.
The agency said he earned about 89.7 million naira in salaries during the period, along with allowances and estacodes, and received a severance package of about 12.2 million naira.
It added that he declared about 253.6 million naira in travel allowances.
The commission alleged that the properties are “manifestly disproportionate” to his known sources of income and claimed that many structures lacked proper building approvals, suggesting efforts to conceal the origin of the funds.
The court is yet to rule on the application.
