The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), in favour of the Federal Government.
According to the EFCC, among the forfeited assets is Rayhaan University in Kebbi State, including its permanent site, temporary site, third site, the Vice Chancellor’s residence, and Rayhaan Radio located along Sani Abacha Bypass Road, Birnin Kebbi.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, held that the Commission had successfully established that the properties were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and were not acquired from lawful sources of income.
The properties finally forfeited to the Federal Government include a luxury duplex at Amazon Street, Plot No. 3011 within Cadastral Zone A06, Maitama District, Abuja (File No. AN 11352); a two-winged, large three-storey building situated at No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki, Cadastral Zone A03, Abuja (formerly Harmonia Hotels Limited); Plot 683, Jabi District, Cadastral Zone B04, comprising a five-storey building (now Meethaq Hotels Ltd., Jabi, with 53 rooms and suites); Property No. 3130 within Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, FCT, Abuja, comprising terraces; Property No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja (Meethaq Hotels Ltd., Maitama, with 15 rooms); and Plot No. 1241B, Asokoro District (No. 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent), Asokoro District.
Other forfeited properties include Shop No. C52, Citiscape — Shariff Plaza, Plot 739, Cadastral Zone A07, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, FCT, Abuja; No. 4 Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano; Plot 157, Lamido Crescent, Nasarawa GRA, Kano; a commercial plaza comprising commercial toilets, laundry facilities, warehouse tanks adjacent to Birnin Kebbi Market; 100 hectares of land along Birnin Kebbi-Jega Road; and another 100 hectares of land along Birnin Kebbi-Jega Road.
Also forfeited are a four-bedroom bungalow at Gesse Phase II, Birnin Kebbi; Shops Nos. A36 and B3, Vegas Mall, Wuse II, Abuja; No. 26 Babbi Drive, BUA Estate, Abuja; No. 27 EFAB Estate, 5th Avenue, 59th Crescent, Gwarimpa, Abuja; a four-bedroom house with two-room boys’ quarters at No. 10B Doka Crescent, Abakpa GRA, Kaduna; Plot No. 13, IPENT 7 Estate, Karsana District, Abuja; a duplex with boys’ quarters at No. 12 Yalinga Street, off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja; two warehouse shops, B40 and B46, at Wuse Market, Abuja; twin houses at Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, Cadastral Zone B01, Plot 1401, Gudu District, Abuja; and properties acquired by Khadimiyya for Justice & Development Initiative at Academic Garden City, Birnin Kebbi, sold by the Federal Housing Authority Mortgage, comprising nine units of three-bedroom bungalows, three units of two-bedroom bungalows, and 5.4 hectares of land.
Equally forfeited are the Rayhaan Agro Allied Factory in Kebbi State, including the factory buildings, factory machines and plant units, the factory mosque, Rayhaan Mill staff quarters, and the Rayhaan Bustan Building.
Other forfeited assets include those at Azbir Arena, Kebbi State, comprising Azbir Hotel, a printing press, a gallery, gardens, a mosque, Azbir Clothing, and Azbir Pharmacy and Supermarket.
Also forfeited are the Al-Afiya Energy tanker garage opposite Rayhaan University Health Centre along Sani Abacha Bypass Road, Birnin Kebbi; Rayhaan Security House off Sani Abacha Bypass, Birnin Kebbi; an uncompleted two-storey plaza located opposite Central Motor Park (Eastern Park), Birnin Kebbi; the Amasdul Oil and Gas Ltd. filling station structure along Sani Abacha Bypass Road, Birnin Kebbi, near Jambali Automobile Workshop; the assets of Zeennoor Hotel at Kabuga Satellite Town, off Gwarzo Road, Kano, with 131 rooms; Zeennoor Mosque at Kabuga Satellite Town, off Gwarzo Road, Kano; and the old Zeennoor Hotel building.
It would be recalled that on January 6, 2026, Justice Emeka Nwite granted an interim forfeiture order following an ex parte motion moved by counsel to the EFCC, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN).
Following the grant of the interim forfeiture order and in compliance with the court’s directive, the EFCC published the order in national newspapers, inviting interested persons to come forward and show cause why a final forfeiture order should not be granted in favour of the Federal Government.
The EFCC subsequently filed a motion seeking the final forfeiture of all the properties.
Following the publication of the interim order, Malami and 14 other persons, mainly his family members and associates, filed applications to show cause and also urged the court to set aside the interim forfeiture order. They further challenged the court’s jurisdiction to grant the order and urged it not to make the final forfeiture order.
The case was heard before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on May 27, 2026, after which it was adjourned for judgment.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Abdulmalik held that the EFCC had sufficiently established that the 48 properties were reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities and that the respondents failed to discharge the evidential burden placed on them, as they could not show the legitimate sources of the funds used to acquire the properties.
The court further held that the respondents merely claimed ownership of the properties without providing evidence of how they acquired them with funds from lawful sources.
The court added that non-conviction-based forfeiture proceedings require respondents to adduce evidence showing the lawful sources of the funds used to acquire the properties, rather than merely making bare assertions of ownership.
