Former Justice Minister and AGF, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to set aside an interim forfeiture order on three of his 57 properties listed by the EFCC for alleged unlawful acquisition.
The properties include: Plot 157, Lamido Crescent, Nasarawa GRA, Kano; a bedroom duplex and boys’ quarters at No. 12, Yalinga Street, Wuse II, Abuja; and the ADC Kadi Malami Foundation Building, held in trust for his late father’s estate.
Malami, represented by Joseph Daudu, SAN, said the EFCC obtained the order through misrepresentation and suppression of facts. He argued the assets were lawfully acquired and fully declared in his asset declaration forms with the Code of Conduct Bureau.
Daudu highlighted Malami’s legitimate income sources, including salaries, business turnover, asset sales, loans to businesses, traditional gifts, and book proceeds, to show the properties were acquired legally.
The lawyer also said the interim forfeiture violates Malami’s fundamental rights to property, presumption of innocence, and peaceful family life, urging the court to dismiss the EFCC’s suit to prevent duplicative litigation.
Justice Emeka Nwite had temporarily forfeited the 57 properties in January and directed the EFCC to publish the order for interested parties to respond. The case did not proceed on January 27 as it was not on the court’s cause list.
Malami is also facing a separate money laundering charge and is currently detained by the DSS over an alleged terrorism financing case.
