Malami Takes EFCC to Court Over Interim Forfeiture of Property

Abubakar Malami, former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, has filed a legal challenge against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the interim forfeiture of several properties tied to him.

In an affidavit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Malami argued that the properties in question were legally acquired through his legal profession, business ventures, investments, and reported income.

He emphasized that these assets were obtained through legitimate means, firmly rejecting the EFCC’s claim that they were derived from illegal activities.

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The EFCC had obtained an interim forfeiture order in January 2026, alleging that the properties were suspected proceeds of criminal activity.

However, Malami strongly denied these accusations, describing them as baseless and lacking any concrete evidence.

He contended that the EFCC failed to present sufficient proof linking the properties to any illegal conduct.

According to Malami, all assets were acquired over the years through lawful means, including income from his legal career, agricultural projects, educational investments, bank loans, and legitimate asset sales.

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Malami also raised concerns about the EFCC’s property valuations, claiming that the commission exaggerated the value of the assets.

He pointed out that independent valuers had assessed the properties at significantly lower figures than the ones presented by the EFCC.

The former AGF also accused the EFCC of bypassing due process, alleging that the commission seized properties and evicted tenants without a final forfeiture order.

Malami argued that these actions represented a breach of legal protocol and violated his rights.

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The case is expected to examine the scope of the EFCC’s powers in asset recovery and interim forfeiture orders under Nigerian law.

Malami is seeking the court to invalidate the forfeiture order, maintaining that the properties are legitimate and not linked to any unlawful activities.

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