The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 landed properties suspected to be proceeds of illegal activities linked to Abubakar Malami (SAN), former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Justice Emeka Nwite granted the forfeiture order on Tuesday following an ex parte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by its lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN.

A certified true copy (CTC) of the ruling was sighted by newsmen on Wednesday.

According to the court order, the multi‑billion‑naira properties believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities are situated in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna states.

“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,” Justice Nwite declared in his ruling.

In the same ruling, the judge directed that the interim forfeiture order be published in a national daily newspaper, inviting “any person(s) or body(ies) who may have an interest in the properties listed in the schedule” to come forward within 14 days of publication to show cause why a final forfeiture order should not be made.

This process, known as a show‑cause directive, allows interested parties to file objections or lay claim to vested interests in the properties before the court considers a final forfeiture judgment.

Justice Nwite adjourned the matter until January 27 for a report of compliance with the court’s directives.

The assets include:

– 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 ₦500, 000, 000.00 (value after enhancement at ₦5, 950,000,000);

– 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 in December 2018 at N7,000,000,000.00.

– Plot 683, Jabi District, Cadastral Zone B04, Comprising a five-storey Building (Now Luxurious Meethaq Hotels Ltd, Jabi with 53 rooms/suites), which was purchased in September 2020 at carcass level at ₦850, 000, 000. 00 with additional ₦300 000 000 to take possession (value after completion ₦8,400,000,000).

– Property No. 3130 within Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, FCT, Abuja, Comprising of Terraces, purchased in Jan. 2021 at N360, 000, 000.00.

– Property No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja (MEETHAQ HOTELS LTD, MAITAMA WITH 15 ROOMS), which was purchased in Feb. 2018 at ₦430, 000, 000.00 (current value after rehabilitation is ₦12, 950, 000, 000).

– Plot No. 1241B, Asokoro District Zone (NO. 11A YAKUBU GOWON CRESCENT) ASOKORO DISTRICT, which was purchased in July 2021 at ₦325 000 000.00.

– 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 ₦120, 000, 000.00.

– NO. 4 AHMADU BELLO WAY, NASARAWA GRA, KANO, which was purchased in Dec. 2022 at ₦300, 000, 000. 00

– PLOT 157, LAMIDO CRESCENT, NASARAWA, GRA, KANO, purchased in July 2019 with no specific amount stated.

– A PLAZA, COMMERCIAL TOILETS, LAUNDERING, WAREHOUSE TANKS ADJACENT TO BIRNIN KEBBI MARKET, which was purchased in 2021 at ₦100, 000, 000.00.

– 100 HECTARES OF LAND ALONG BRININ KEBBI, JEGA ROAD, which was purchased in 2020 at ₦100,000,000.00.

– 4 BEDROOM BUNGALOW GESSE PHASE, BIRNIN KEBBI, which was purchased in 2023 at ₦101,000,000.00.

– SHOPS NOS. A36, B3 VEGAS MALL, WUSE 2, ABUJA, which was purchased in July 2023 at ₦158,000,000.00.

– NO. 26, BABBI DRIVE, BUA ESTATE, ABUJA, purchased in 2022 at ₦136,000,000.00.

– NO. 27, EFAB ESTATES AVENUE, 59™ CRESCENT, GWARIMPA, ABUJA, purchased in Jan. 2016 at ₦120,000,000.00.

– 4 BEDROOM/ 2 ROOMS BOYS QUARTERS AT NO. 10B, DOKA CRESCENT ABAKPA GRA, KADUNA, purchased in Jan. 2018 at ₦40,000,000.00.

– PLOT NO. 13, IPENT 7 ESTATE, KARSANA DISTRICT, ABUJA, purchased in June 2018 at ₦85,000,000.00.

– A BEDROOM DUPLEX & BOYS QUARTERS AT NO. 12 YALINGA STREET, OFF ADETOKUNBO ADEMOLA CRESCENT, WUSE II, ABUJA, purchased in Oct. 2018 at ₦150, 000, 000.00.

– TWO WAREHOUSE SHOPS B40 AND B46, WUSE MARKET, ABUJA, purchased in July 2020 at ₦50, 000, 000.00.

– TWIN HOUSES AT ZONE E, APO LEGISLATIVE QUARTERS, CADASTRAL ZONE B01, PLOT 14014, GUDU DISTRICT, ABUJA, were purchased between February and May 2017 at ₦250,000,000.00.

– 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 Feb. 2023 and Sept. 2023 for ₦187, 000, 000.00, among other assets listed in the schedule.

Malami, his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz, are currently facing an alleged ₦8.7 billion money laundering charge before Justice Nwite.