Abuja, NIGERIA — The former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has launched a formal legal challenge against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding the interim forfeiture of several properties.
In an affidavit filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, Malami categorically rejected the commission’s claims that the assets were acquired through illicit means.
The legal dispute follows an interim forfeiture order secured by the EFCC in January 2026, based on suspicions that the properties were linked to criminal proceeds.
Okay News reports that Malami maintains the assets were legitimately acquired through his years of private legal practice, diverse business ventures, and officially declared income. He characterized the agency’s allegations as “speculative” and lacking prima facie evidence.
“There is no document before the court showing these properties were acquired with proceeds of crime,” Malami stated in the court filings. He argued that the EFCC has failed to provide a direct link between any specific criminal activity and the acquisition of the listed properties. The former Minister, who served under the Buhari administration, is seeking a reversal of the forfeiture order, asserting his right to ownership of the assets.
