Judge withdraws from Malami’s N213bn asset forfeiture case

JUSTICE Obiora Egwatu has stepped down from handling the Federal High Court case involving the proposed forfeiture of assets linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), and two other defendants.

The judge announced his decision in open court on Thursday, shortly after lawyers to the parties formally entered their appearances. He said he could no longer continue with the matter, citing personal reasons and the need to protect the integrity of the judicial process.

“For personal reasons, and in the interest of justice, I hereby recuse myself from this case,” Justice Egwatu told the court.

He ordered that the case file, marked CR/700/2025, be returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for reassignment and further directions.

The development comes in the midst of a major legal dispute over 57 properties valued at approximately N213.2bn. The assets were last month placed under interim forfeiture to the Federal Government by Justice Emeka Nwite.

That temporary order, issued on January 6, followed an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which claims the properties are suspected proceeds of unlawful activity allegedly connected to Malami and his sons.

READ ALSO: Full list of 57 properties linked to former AGF Malami, sons

According to the EFCC, the assets include university buildings, hotels, shopping plazas, filling stations, residential estates and extensive parcels of land spread across Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna states.

Justice Nwite also directed the anti-graft agency to publish the forfeiture notice in a national newspaper and invite interested parties to appear within 14 days to explain why the properties should not be permanently seized.

Mr Malami has challenged the interim forfeiture, maintaining that his wealth was lawfully acquired and properly declared to relevant authorities. He urged the court to dismiss the suit, warning that the proceedings could result in conflicting judgments and amount to duplicative litigation.

The former AGF further argued that the action violated his constitutional rights, including his right to property, presumption of innocence and family life.

In his application, Mr Malami also asked the court to bar the EFCC from interfering with three specific properties listed as numbers 9, 18 and 48 in the forfeiture documents. He stated that one of the properties is held in trust for the estate of his late father, Kadi Malami.

Assets linked to Malami

Some of the properties linked to Mr Malami are as follows:

1.  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 N500, 000, 000.00 (value after enhancement at N5,950,000,000).

2.  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 Dec. 2018 at N7,000,000,000.

3.  Plot 683, Jabi District, Cadastral Zone B04, Comprising of a five storey Building (Now Luxurious Meethaq Hotels Ltd, Jabi with 53 rooms/suites), which was purchased in Sept. 2020 at carcass level at N850,000,000 with additional N300,000,000 to take possession (value after completion N8,400,000,000).

4.  Property No. 3130 within Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, FCT, Abuja, Comprising Terraces, purchased in January 2021 at N360,000,000.

5.  Property No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja (Meethaq Hotels Limited, Maitama With 15 ROOMS), which was purchased in February 2018 at N430,000,000 (current value after rehabilitation is N12,950,000,000).

6.  Plot No. 1241B, Asokoro District Zone (No. 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent) AsokoroDistrict, which was purchased in July 2021 at N325,000,000.

7.  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 N120,000,000.

READ ALSO: Court orders temporary forfeiture of 57 properties linked to Malami, two sons

8.  No. 4 Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano, which was purchased in December 2022 at N300,000,000.

9.  Plot 157, Lamido Crescent, Nasarawa, GRA, Kano, purchased in July 2019 with no specific amount stated.

10.  A Plaza, Commercial Toilets, Laundering, Warehouse Tanks Adjacent to Birnin Kebbi Market at N100 million.