Malami's 48 properties forfeited — N212.8 billion gone just like that

The Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday ordered the permanent forfeiture of 48 properties linked to former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami to the federal government. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled that the EFCC proved these assets were likely acquired with proceeds of illegal activity, and Malami failed to show they came from lawful sources.

The total value of the 57 properties the EFCC originally sought to seize is N212.8 billion. Among them are a luxury duplex in Maitama valued at N5.95 billion after enhancement, a hotel in Jabi now worth N8.4 billion, and another Meethaq Hotels property in Maitama currently valued at N12.95 billion. The judge specifically stated the case was not about who owns the properties but how legitimate the funds used to buy them were.

So a man who served as Nigeria's chief law officer cannot explain how he acquired assets worth over two hundred billion naira. Nine properties in Kebbi and Kaduna were spared because the EFCC could not link them to illegality. But 48 remain forfeited. The question nobody wants to answer is: where did the money come from, and who else was involved?