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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday achieved the final seizure of 48 properties linked to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The EFCC Media and Publicity Officer, Dele Oyewale, in a press release in Abuja, disclosed that, “Among the confiscated properties are Rayhaan University, Kebbi State, including the permanent site of Rayhaan University, the temporary site of Rayhaan University, the third site of Rayhaan University, the Vice Chancellor’s House of Rayhaan University and Rayhaan Radio along the Sani Abacha Bypass Road, Birnin Kebbi.”
It said that, in delivering the judgment, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, found that the Commission had successfully established that the properties were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of illegal activities and had not been acquired from lawful sources of income.
“The properties ultimately confiscated from the Federal Government are: a luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Lot No. 3011 within Land Registry Area A06, Maitama District, Abuja (File No. AN 11352); a large three-storey, two-wing building located at No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, GarkiLand Registry Area A03, Abuja (formerly Harmonia Hotels Limited); Plot 683, Jabi District, Land Registry Area B04, comprising a five-storey building (now luxury Meethaq Hotels Ltd., Jabi, with 53 rooms/suites); Property no. 3130 within cadastral area A04, Asokoro District, FCT, Abuja, comprising terraces; Property Via del Reno n. 3Maitama, Abuja (Meethaq Hotels Ltd., Maitama, with 15 rooms); and lot no. 1241B, Asokoro District (No. 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent), Asokoro Quarter.
“Others include: Shop No. C52, Citiscape – Shariff Plaza, Plot 739, Land Registry Zone A07, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, FCT, Abuja; Ahmadu Bello Street no. 4Nasarawa GRA, Kano; Plot 157, Lamido Nasarawa GRA, Kano; a commercial plaza comprising commercial toilets, laundry facilities, warehouse tanks adjacent to Birnin Kebbi market; 100 hectares of land along the Birnin Kebbi–Jega road; and another 100 hectares of land along the Birnin Kebbi–Jega Road.
“Others are: Four Bedroom Bungalow at Gesse Phase II, Birnin Kebbi; Shops No. A36 and B3, Vegas Mall, Wuse II, Abuja; No. 26 Babbi Drive, BUA Estate, Abuja; No. 27 EFAB Summer, 5a Avenue, 59th Crescent, Gwarimpa, Abuja; a four-bedroom house and two-room boys’ quarters No. 10B Doka Crescent, Abakpa GRA, Kaduna; Plot no. 13, IPENT Property 7, Karsana District, Abuja; one bedroom duplex with teen quarters Yalinga Street no. 12off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja; two warehouses B40 and B46, Wuse Market, Abuja; acquisition of twin houses in Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, Cadastral Area B01, Plot 1401, Gudu District, Abuja; and properties acquired by Khadimiyya for Justice and Development Initiative at Academic Garden City, Birnin Kebbi, sold by Federal Housing Authority Mortgage, namely: nine three-bedroom bungalow units, three two-bedroom bungalow units and 5.4 hectares of land.
The Rayhaan Agro Allied factory in Kebbi State, including the factory buildings, plant machinery and units, the factory mosque, Rayhaan Mill staff quarters and the Rayhaan Bustan building are also seized.
Others are active at Azbir Arena, Kebbi State, including Azbir Hotel, Printing House, Gallery, Gardens, Mosque, Azbir Clothing and Azbir Pharmacy and Supermarket.
“Other properties seized include Al-Afiya Energy tank garage opposite Rayhaan University Health Center along Sani Abacha Bypass Road, Birnin Kebbi; Rayhaan Security House off Sani Abacha Bypass, Birnin Kebbi; an incomplete 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 in Kabuga Satellite Town, near Gwarzo Road, Kano, with 131 rooms Zeennoor Mosque in Kabuga Satellite Town, near Gwarzo Road, Kano and the old Zeennoor Hotel building;
Justice Emeka Nwite, on January 6, 2026, granted the provisional confiscation order following an ex parte motion filed by the EFCC lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN).
Oyewale noted that, “Following the granting of the provisional confiscation order, and in accordance with the court order, the EFCC published the provisional order in national newspapers, inviting interested persons to come forward and show cause why the final confiscation order should not be granted in favor of the Federal Government of Nigeria. The EFCC subsequently moved a motion for the permanent confiscation of all properties.”
Meanwhile, following the publication of the interim order, Mr Malami (SAN), and 14 other persons, mainly his family members and associates, filed show cause applications and also urged the court to quash the interim confiscation order on the properties.
They also challenged the court’s jurisdiction to grant the order and urged it not to grant the final confiscation order.
The case was heard before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on May 27, 2026 and the matter was subsequently adjourned for trial.
The EFCC spokesperson on Wednesday said that in delivering the judgment, the court found that the EFCC had sufficiently demonstrated that the 48 properties were reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of illegal activities and that the defendants had failed to meet the evidentiary burden imposed on them, as they could not demonstrate the legitimate sources of the funds used for the acquisition of the properties.
The court also found that the defendants had merely claimed ownership of the properties without providing evidence of how they had acquired them with funds from legitimate sources.
According to the court, non-conviction-based forfeiture proceedings require defendants to adduce evidence demonstrating the legitimate sources of the funds used to acquire the properties, and not simply make simple claims of ownership.
