A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of 48 properties valued at about N212 billion.
The ruling followed an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which linked the properties to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami. Moreover, the court dismissed objections filed by Malami, some of his relatives and several companies that claimed ownership of the assets.
The decision has drawn fresh attention to Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign. Furthermore, it highlights the growing efforts by the EFCC to recover assets believed to have been acquired through unlawful means.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered the judgment at the Federal High Court in Abuja after considering arguments presented by all parties.
According to the court, the main issue was not who owned the properties. Instead, the focus was whether the money used to acquire them came from lawful sources.
Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the claimants failed to provide enough evidence to prove the legitimacy of the assets.
She stated, “The central issue before the court was not the ownership of the properties but whether the funds used to acquire them were lawfully obtained.”
The judge further held that the claimants could not sufficiently justify how the properties were acquired.
The EFCC asset forfeiture case involves 48 properties located across Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna states.
The affected assets include luxury hotels, shopping plazas, warehouses, residential duplexes, commercial buildings and housing estates.
According to the EFCC, the properties were acquired over several years and are collectively valued at approximately N212 billion.
However, the court found that the available evidence supported the commission’s application for permanent forfeiture.
Meanwhile, objections raised by Malami, members of his family and several companies were dismissed.
The court described the arguments presented by the claimants as lacking merit.
Therefore, ownership of the forfeited properties has now been transferred permanently to the Federal Government.
The judgment represents another significant milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing campaign against financial crimes and illicit wealth.
In addition, legal experts believe the ruling reinforces the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.
The EFCC has consistently maintained that recovering assets suspected to have been acquired illegally remains one of its key responsibilities.
Furthermore, the agency has continued to pursue court orders aimed at returning such assets to government ownership where sufficient evidence exists.
Although the judgment marks the end of this stage of the proceedings, it is expected to generate wider discussions on transparency, public accountability and anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, observers say the outcome could strengthen public confidence in ongoing financial crime investigations.
