Court Orders Interim Forfeiture of 57 Properties Linked to Malami, Sons

• Warns lawyers, parties against attempt to influence trial in alleged N9bn money laundering charge

•As Malami, son, wife get N1.5bn bail

Alex Enumah in Abuja

Justice Emeka Nwite of Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties linked to the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, SAN, and two of his sons, Abdulaziz Malami and Abiru-Rahman Malami.

The properties suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities of the defendants were valued at over N213.2 billion.

The affected properties located in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna states, according to the interim order, were to be forfeited to the federal government.

Nwite made the order while ruling in an ex-parte application moved by lawyer to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ekele Iheanacho, SAN.

The judge stated, “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.”

Besides, the court directed the publication of the interim order of forfeiture in any national daily “inviting any person(s) or body (ies) who may have interest in the properties listed in the schedule to show cause, within 14 days of the publication, why a final order of forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria of the said assets and properties, should not be made.”

Although, the interim order of forfeiture was made on Tuesday January 6, 2026, a Certified True Copy of the order seen on Wednesday.

The judge said the matter had been adjourned till January 27, 2026, for a report of compliance.

According to court documents, the properties to be temporarily forfeited to the federal government includes: Rayhaan University Buildings, Agro allied factory buildings, machines, hotels, pharmacy, supermarket, primary and secondary schools, oil and gas filling stations, shops and other buildings.

Others are luxury Duplex at Amazon Street, Plot No. 3011 Within Cadastral Zone, A06 Maitama; File No: AN enhancement 11352, which was purchased in December 2022 at N500, 000, 000.00 (value after enhancement at N5,950,000,000).

Equally to be forfeited are Two-Winged Large Storey Building Situate at No. 3, Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki, Cadastral Zone, A03, Abuja (formerly Harmonia Hotels Limited), FCT, which was purchased Dec. 2018 at N7,000,000,000.

The document also listed for forfeiture, “Plot 683, Jabi District, Cadastral Zone B04, comprising of a five-storey Building (Now Luxurious Meethaq Hotels Ltd, Jabi with 53 rooms/suites), which was purchased in Sept. 2020 at carcass level at N850,000,000 with additional N300,000,000 to take possession (value after completion N8,400,000,000).

“Property No. 3130 within Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, FCT, Abuja, Comprising Terraces, purchased in January 2021 at N360,000,000.

“Property No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja (Meethaq Hotels Limited, Maitama With 15 ROOMS), which was purchased in February 2018 at N430,000,000 (current value after rehabilitation is N12,950,000,000).

“Plot No. 1241B, Asokoro District Zone (No. 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent) Asokoro District, which was purchased in July 2021 at N325,000,000.

“Shop No. C82 Citiscape – Shariff Plaza, Plot 739 Cadastral Zone A07, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse Il, FCT, Abuja, which was purchased in March 2024 at N120,000,000.

“No. 4 Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano, which was purchased in December 2022 at N300,000,000.

“Plot 157, Lamido Crescent, Nasarawa, GRA, Kano, purchased in July 2019 with no specific amount stated.

“A Plaza, Commercial Toilets, Laundering, Warehouse Tanks.

“100 Hectares of Land Along Birnin Kebbi, Jega Road, which was purchased in 2020 at N100,000,000.

“Four Bedroom Bungalow Gesse Phase, Birnin Kebbi, which was purchased in 2023 at N101,000, 000.

“Shops Nos. A36, B3 Vegas Mall, Wuse 2, Abuja, which was purchased in July 2023 at N158,000,000.

“No. 26, Babbi Drive, Bua Estate, Abuja, purchased in 2022 at N136,000,000.

“No. 27, Efab Estates Avenue, 59™ Crescent, Gwarimpa, Abuja, purchased in January 2016 at N120,000,000.

“Four-Bedroom/2-Room Boys Quarters At No. 10B, Doka Crescent Abakpa GRA, Kaduna, purchased in Jan. 2018 at N40, 000, 000.00.

“Plot No. 13, Ipent 7 Estate, Karsana District, Abuja, purchased in June 2018 at N85,000,000.

“A Bedroom Duplex & Boys Quarters At No. 12 Yalinga Street, Off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse Il, Abuja, purchased in Oct. 2018 at N150,000,000.

“Two Warehouse Shops B40 And B46, Wuse Market, Abuja, purchased in July 2020 at N50,000,000.”

Others were, “Twin Houses At Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, Cadastral Zone B01, Plot 14014, Gudu District, Abuja, was purchased between February and May 2017 at N250,000,000.

“Properties acquired by Khadimiyya for Justice & Development Initiative at the Academic Garden City, Birnin Kebbi, sold by the Federal Housing Authority Mortgage namely.

“Others are nine units of three-bedroom, bungalow, three units of two-bedroom, bungalow, and 5.4 hectares of land, which were purchased between February 2023 and September 2023 at N187,000,000, among other assets listed in the schedule.”

Nwite on Wednesday warned against attempt to influence the outcome of Malami’s trial on alleged N9 billion money laundering, adding that the law would be followed to the letter.

He sounded out the warning shortly after he admitted the former minister, his son, Abdulaziz Malami, and his wife, Hajia Asabe Bashir, to bail in the sum of N500 million naira each.

“When I am dealing with this case, please, don’t approach me. The law cannot be bent,” Nwite warned.

EFCC had last week arraigned the trio on a 16-count criminal charge bordering on money laundering.

The court, also last week, fixed January 7 for ruling in the bail applications, after taken arguments for and against the applications.

EFCC had while opposing the applications claimed, among others, that the defendants, especially the former AGF, would interfere with witnesses and obstruct the cause of justice.

Delivering ruling in the bail applications, Nwite held that he was mindful to grant bail to the defendants in the interest of justice, notwithstanding the seriousness of the allegations against them.

He observed that there was no strong evidence to show that the defendants would interfere with witnesses or not make themselves available for the trial.

He accordingly admitted the three of them to bail in the sum of N500 million naira each.

As part of the bail conditions, Malami, his son and wife were to produce two sureties each in like sum of N500 million. The sureties must swear to an affidavit of means and be owners of landed properties within the Asokoro Maitama and Gwarimpa areas in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The defendants, in addition, were to deposit their international passports to Deputy Registrar of the Court and should not travel without the court’s permission.

The sureties were also to deposit two passport photographs each to Deputy Registrar of the court.

Nwite subsequently adjourned till February 17, for commencement of trial.

Malami, Abdulaziz and Bashir were accused of conspiracy and concealment of proceeds of unlawful activities running into billions of naira.

According to the charge, the defendants were said to have committed the various alleged offences between November 2015 and June 2025.

The commission, in the suit filed by Mr. Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, claimed the funds allegedly acquired unlawfully were used for the purchase of luxury properties in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and other locations.

In count one, Malami and his son were said to have between July 2022 and June 2025, “procured METROPOLITAN AUTO TECH LIMITED to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N1, 014, 848, 500.00 in the Sterling Bank Plc Account No. 0079182387, when they reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act”.

Malami and his son were in count two alleged to have procured the same METROPOLITAN AUTO TECH LIMITED to conceal the unlawful origin of another sum of over N600 million.

In another count, they were alleged to have in November 2022 used Rahamaniyya Properties Limited to conceal N500 million paid for a luxury duplex at Amazon Street, Maitama, Abuja.

While in count five the trio were alleged to have sometimes in September 2024, conspired to disguise the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N1, 049, 173, 926. 13 paid through the Union Bank Plc account of Meethaq Hotels Ltd Jabi savings Account No. 0179011105 between November 2022 and September 2024.

They were in count six accused of indirectly taking control of the aggregate sum of N1, 362, 887, 872.96, paid through the savings account of Meethaq Hotels Ltd in Union Bank Plc when they “reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed proceeds of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2) (d) and punishable under section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”.

In another count, Malami, his son and Hajia Bashir were also charged with concealing the sum of N700 million paid for a property at No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Garki, Abuja, and N850 million for another property at Plot 683, Jabi District, Abuja.

Similarly, the three defendants were said to have in February 2018, acquired No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja, for N430 million and in the same month concealed N210 million for No. 3130, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro, Abuja.

They were charged with concealing N325 million for No. 1241B, Asokoro District, between March and June 2021, and N120 million for No. 27 Efab Estate, Gwarimpa, Abuja, between November 2015 and January 2016.