A Federal High Court judge in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, has withdrawn from hearing an asset forfeiture case involving Abubakar Malami, a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice of Nigeria, and two other respondents.
Justice Obiora Egwatu stepped aside on Thursday, February 12, 2026, shortly after lawyers announced their appearances in court.
“Ladies and gentlemen, for personal reasons, and for the better interest of justice, I will recuse myself from this case,” the judge said.
He ordered that the case file be returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for reassignment to another judge. “The instant charge CR/700/2025 filed FRN vs Abubakar Malami (SAN) and two others, shall be filed back to the Chief Judge for further directives,” he added.
Okay News reports that the dispute centres on an interim forfeiture order covering 57 properties valued at about ₦213.2 billion (about $158 million). The properties were temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria last month by Justice Emeka Nwite, following an ex parte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria’s main anti-corruption agency.
The EFCC has told the court it reasonably suspects the assets are proceeds of unlawful activity linked to Malami and his sons. The properties listed include university buildings, hotels, plazas, filling stations, residential estates, and large tracts of land located in Abuja and in Kebbi State, Kano State, and Kaduna State, all in northern Nigeria.
Justice Nwite granted the interim forfeiture on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. He also directed the EFCC to publish a notice in a national newspaper and call on any interested parties to show cause within 14 days why the properties should not be permanently forfeited.
Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has challenged the interim forfeiture order. He argues that his wealth was lawfully acquired and properly declared to the appropriate authorities. He also urged the court to dismiss the case, warning against what he described as “conflicting outcomes” and “duplicative litigation,” and saying the action breaches his rights to property, the presumption of innocence, and family life.
He further asked the court to restrain the EFCC from interfering with his ownership, possession, and control of three properties identified as numbers 9, 18, and 48 in the agency’s application. Malami also maintained that one of the properties is held in trust for the estate of his late father, Kadi Malami.
With Justice Egwatu’s recusal, the Chief Judge is expected to reassign the matter and a new hearing date will be fixed.
