EFCC secures final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to Malami

By Imisioluwa Afunmiso

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a final forfeiture order of 48 properties linked to a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), to the Federal Government.

The order was granted on Wednesday by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja after the court held that the anti-graft agency had established that the properties were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

According to the EFCC, the court also ruled that the properties were not acquired from lawful sources of income, thereby granting the Commission’s application for their final forfeiture to the Federal Government.

The Commission said the judgment followed its investigation and legal proceedings seeking the permanent forfeiture of the assets, which it alleged were linked to illicitly acquired wealth.

Justice Abdulmalik, in her judgment, held that the EFCC had presented sufficient evidence to justify the forfeiture, affirming that the assets fell within the category of properties liable to forfeiture under relevant laws.

The judgment represents another milestone in the Commission’s efforts to recover assets suspected to have been acquired through corrupt practices and other unlawful activities.

The EFCC reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing the recovery of proceeds of crime in line with its statutory mandate and the Federal Government’s anti-corruption drive.

Abubakar Malami served as Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice between 2015 and 2023. The EFCC has yet to disclose the specific locations or details of the forfeited properties.