Nigeria News Today: Abubakar Malami Challenges EFCC Over Alleged Illicit Assets, Seeks Reversal of Forfeiture Order
By Aliyu Usman, Birnin Kebbi
The Bureau News reports that former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has launched a strong legal challenge against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the interim forfeiture of multiple properties, insisting the assets were lawfully acquired.
In an affidavit filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, Malami maintained that all properties listed in the January 2026 forfeiture order were obtained through legitimate means, including years of legal practice, business investments, and declared income.
The Bureau News: Malami Rejects EFCC Allegations
The EFCC had earlier secured an interim forfeiture order on the suspicion that the properties were linked to illicit funds. However, Malami argued that the anti-graft agency failed to present prima facie evidence connecting the assets to any criminal activity.
“There is no document before the court showing these properties were acquired with proceeds of crime,” he stated.
He described the allegations as speculative and lacking credible proof.
Nigeria News Today: Dispute Over Asset Valuation
A central part of Malami’s defence is his claim that the EFCC significantly inflated the value of the assets to strengthen its case.
According to him, properties acquired for hundreds of millions of naira were presented as being worth billions, a claim he said has been contradicted by independent valuers who provided more accurate assessments.
Malami Details Sources of Wealth
The former AGF attributed his wealth to multiple legitimate sources, including over three decades of legal practice and investments in sectors such as hospitality, agriculture, and education.
He also listed loans from commercial banks, proceeds from asset sales, and earnings from book launches among his income streams.
Malami further stated that all his earnings were duly declared to the Code of Conduct Bureau in compliance with existing laws.
Allegations of Due Process Violations
Beyond the financial dispute, Malami accused the EFCC of exceeding its legal powers in the execution of the forfeiture order.
He alleged that operatives seized properties without a final court order, evicted family members from residences, and confiscated documents.
Describing the actions as extrajudicial, he argued that they amounted to a breach of due process.
The Bureau News understands that the case, which is linked to an ongoing criminal charge against Malami, is expected to test the scope of the EFCC’s asset forfeiture powers and adherence to constitutional procedures.
The court is expected to determine whether the assets will be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government or returned to Malami.
