A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an interim forfeiture order for 57 properties linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and his two sons, Abdulaziz and Abiru-Rahman Malami. Presiding Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, granted the order on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, following an ex-parte motion filed by EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN). The assets, collectively valued at ₦213.2 billion, are suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity and are spread across Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna States.

Among the forfeited properties are a Luxury Duplex at Amazon Street, Maitama, purchased in December 2022 for N500,000,000.00 and later valued at N5,950,000,000; a Two Winged Large Storey Building at No. 3, Onitsha Crescent, Garki, formerly Harmonia Hotels Limited, acquired in December 2018 for N7,000,000,000; and a five-storey building at Plot 683, Jabi District, now Luxurious Meethaq Hotels Ltd, valued at N8,400,000,000 after completion. Other significant assets include Meethaq Hotels Limited in Maitama, terraces in Asokoro, multiple residential properties, warehouses, shopping units, and extensive holdings associated with entities like Rayhaan University, Rayhaan Agro Allied Factory, Azbir Arena, and Zeennoor Hotel, along with various residential and commercial structures in Birnin Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna.

These forfeiture proceedings run parallel to an ongoing criminal trial where Malami, his wife, Hajia Asabe Bashir, and son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, are facing a 16-count money laundering charge involving alleged N8.7 billion. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accuses the defendants of engaging in suspicious financial transactions and using bank accounts and extensive property acquisitions across Abuja, Kano, and Kebbi to conceal the origin of funds allegedly derived from unlawful activities. The alleged offences were committed between 2015 and 2025, covering Malami’s eight-year tenure as Attorney-General of the Federation under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Justice Nwite granted bail to Malami and his co-defendants in the sum of N500 million each, requiring two sureties with landed properties in Maitama, Asokoro, or Gwarimpa within the Federal Capital Territory. Malami was ordered to deposit his travelling documents with the court and prohibited from traveling outside the country without judicial permission. He was remanded in Kuje prison pending the perfection of his bail conditions. The trial is scheduled to commence on February 17.

During the proceedings, Justice Nwite issued a stern warning to all lawyers and litigants against attempting to approach him for any form of favour, emphasizing his commitment to judicial integrity. He stressed that his familiarity with members of the Bar should not be misconstrued as an opportunity for undue influence, asserting that his leniency should not be mistaken for weakness. He reiterated that the law would not be bent under his watch.

In response, Malami, through his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, vehemently denied claims that anyone connected to him attempted to bribe or improperly influence the judge. He described such allegations, reportedly circulated by the EFCC, as mischievous, false, and misleading. Malami insisted that the judge’s comments were a routine judicial warning issued to all counsel and litigants, not specifically directed at him or his team. He accused the EFCC of weaponizing a standard judicial admonition into a sensational narrative aimed at tarnishing his public image, reinforcing his belief that the anti-graft agency is more interested in a