Between 2015 and 2023, during the reign of the Late Muhammadu Buhari, Abubakar Malami was untouchable. As the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, he enjoyed so much power. So much that the government he served breached the fundamental human rights of many citizens with reckless abandon, and all he could do was spend endless hours rationalising and defending the atrocities of the Buhari government.
Malami interpreted the law the way it suited him and weaponised it to get at perceived enemies of the government.
His administration’s corruption fight, with the benefit of hindsight, was actually a decoy to enrich themselves.
When it was alleged then that recovered loots were being relooted; now we know better.
Recently, a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the permanent forfeiture of assets worth about $154.6 million (N212.8 billion) linked to Malami, delivering one of the nation’s biggest civil asset recoveries in recent years.
Malami is facing separate criminal money laundering charges.
The court declined to forfeit nine other properties.
The decision is separate from Malami’s ongoing criminal money laundering trial, where he pleaded not guilty.
The EFCC had, in January 2026, received an interim forfeiture order from Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
In a statement issued at the time, the EFCC’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said the properties are valued at about N213.2 billion.
He said the properties span the Federal Capital Territory, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna states and include hotels, residential buildings, commercial plazas, schools, factories, a university, filling stations, warehouses and large parcels of land.
Some of the choice properties include a luxury duplex at Amazon Street, Plot No. 3011, Cadastral Zone A06, Maitama, Abuja (purchased in December 2022 for N500 million; enhanced value: N5.95 billion).
Two-winged storey building at No. 3, Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki, Abuja (formerly Harmonia Hotels Limited), purchased in December 2018 for N7 billion.
Plot 683, Jabi District, Cadastral Zone B04, Abuja, comprising a five-storey building now operating as Meethaq Hotels Ltd. with 53 rooms and suites (purchased in September 2020 at carcass level for N850 million, with an additional N300 million paid to take possession; current value: N8.4 billion).
Property No. 3130, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, Abuja, comprising terraces, purchased in January 2021 for N360 million.
Meethaq Hotels Limited, No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja, with 15 rooms (purchased in February 2018 for N430 million; current value after rehabilitation: N12.95 billion).
Plot No. 1241B, Asokoro District (No. 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent), Abuja, purchased in July 2021 for N325 million.
Shop No. C82, Citiscape-Shariff Plaza, Plot 739, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, purchased in March 2024 for N120 million.
No. 4 Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano, purchased in December 2022 for N300 million.
Plot 157, Lamido Crescent, Nasarawa GRA, Kano, purchased in July 2019.
Plaza, commercial toilets, laundry, warehouses, and tanks adjacent to Birnin Kebbi Market, valued at N100 million.
One hundred hectares of land along Birnin Kebbi-Jega Road, purchased in 2020 for N100 million.
Four-bedroom bungalow at Gesse Phase, Birnin Kebbi, purchased in 2023 for N101 million.
Shops A36 and B3, Vegas Mall, Wuse II, Abuja, purchased in July 2023 for N158 million.
No. 26, Babbi Drive, BUA Estate, Abuja, purchased in 2022 for N136 million.
No. 27, Efab Estate Avenue, 5th Avenue, 59th Crescent, Gwarampa, Abuja, purchased in January 2016 for N120 million.
Four-bedroom bungalow with two-room boys’ quarters at No. 10B, Doka Crescent, Abakpa GRA, Kaduna, purchased in January 2018 for N40 million.
Plot No. 13, Ipent 7 Estate, Karsana District, Abuja, purchased in June 2018 for N85 million.
Duplex with boys’ quarters at No. 12 Yalinga Street, off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, purchased in October 2018 for N150 million.
Warehouse shops B40 and B46, Wuse Market, Abuja, purchased in July 2020 for N50 million.
Twin houses at Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, Plot 14014, Gudu District, Abuja, purchased between February and May 2017 for N250 million.
Properties acquired by Khadimiyya for Justice & Development Initiative, Academic Garden City, Birnin Kebbi: nine units of three-bedroom bungalows.
Three units of two-bedroom bungalows.
5.4 hectares of land (acquired between February and September 2023 for N187 million).
Rayhaan University, Kebbi State permanent site – N56 billion.
Temporary site – N37.8 billion.
Third site – N2.45 billion.
Vice-Chancellor’s residence – N490 million.
Rayhaan Agro Allied Factory, Kebbi State
Factory buildings – N4.2 billion.
Factory machines and plant – N10.5 billion.
Factory mosque – N2.45 billion.
Staff quarters – N1.4875 billion.
Bustan building – N3.15 billion.
Azbir Arena, Kebbi State
Azbir Hotel – N10.325 billion.
Printing press – N1.05 billion.
Gallery – N581 million.
Gardens – N392 million.
Mosque – N252 million.
Azbir Clothing – N350 million.
Azbir Pharmacy and Supermarket – N175 million.
Other properties in Kebbi State
Al-Afiya Energy tanker garage opposite Rayhaan University Health Centre, Birnin Kebbi – N2.45 billion.
Rayhaan Model Academy – N11.2 billion.
Rayhaan Primary and Secondary School – N8.75 billion.
Rayhaan Security House, Birnin Kebbi – N245.7 million.
Rayhaan Radio, Birnin Kebbi – N78.75 million.
Uncompleted two-storey plaza opposite Central Motor Park (Eastern Park), Birnin Kebbi – N665 million.
Amasdul Oil and Gas Ltd filling station structure along Sani Abacha Bypass, Birnin Kebbi – N1.05 billion.
Malami Support Organisation building – N210 million.
ADC Kadi Malami Foundation building – N56 million.
Abubakar Malami (SAN)’s house, GRA, Birnin Kebbi – N350 million.
Abubakar Malami (SAN)’s house behind Mobil, Birnin Kebbi – N490 million.
Abdulaziz Malami’s house at Gesse Phase II, Birnin Kebbi – N1.659 billion.
Abiru-Rahman Abubakar Malami’s house at Gesse Phase II, Birnin Kebbi – N2.989 billion.
Properties in Kano State; Zeennoor Hotel, Kabuga Satellite Town, Kano, with 131 rooms – N11.2 billion.
Zeennoor Mosque, Kabuga Satellite Town, Kano – N84 million.
Zeennoor Old Hotel Building – N280 million.
Rayhaan Hotel, opposite Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, comprising more than 50 rooms – N2.24 billion.
Rayhaan Gym, opposite Rayhaan Hotel, Kano – N1.225 billion.
The judge ruled that Malami, members of his family, and companies linked to the assets failed to dislodge the EFCC’s allegation that the properties were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
The court held that the issue before it was not ownership of the properties but the legitimacy of the funds used to acquire them.
Following the judgment, 48 properties were ordered forfeited, while the court discharged the interim forfeiture order in respect of the remaining nine assets.
All of these under a government that pretended to fight corruption and kill the scourge before it finally killed the country.
Buhari had on January 25, 2019, about 29 days before the presidential election, suspended Onnoghen from office as the CJN and swore in Justice Tanko Muhammad to take over the leadership of the judiciary over corruption allegations. He was accused of failing to declare currencies that are peanuts when compared with Malami’s illegal acquisition in office. What an irony!
Malami undermined the very constitution he swore to uphold and shirked his responsibilities of ensuring compliance with the law.
It is on record that for eight years, Malami’s office could not successfully prosecute any high-profile corruption case. The Onnoghen case was simply a ploy to replace Onnoghen for a more pliable CJN to supervise the election.
Malami as minister was accused of seizing cases from original prosecutors whenever he likes in the hope of steering them, as widely believed, toward a predetermined end.
One such case that readily comes to mind was that of notorious kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, popularly known as Wadume. He was arrested in Abuja in 2019.
Reports said that Malami, who took over the case in June 2020, controversially amended the charges brought against Wadume to exempt soldiers who were suspected to have wasted the lives of some policemen to facilitate Wadume’s escape.
Wadume’s early release after serving a light sentence makes a mockery of the administrative justice system in Nigeria, and this is no thanks to Malami.
For those in office today, the lesson is that after their tenure in office, they will come to understand the axiom and time-tested aphorism that nothing lasts forever and that power remains transient!
