EFCC Secures Final Forfeiture of 48 Properties Tied to Former AGF Malami

EFCC Secures Final Forfeiture of 48 Properties Tied to Former AGF Malami
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EFCC Secures Final Forfeiture of 48 Properties Tied to Former AGF Malami

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, handing a major victory to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in its ongoing asset recovery campaign.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered the judgment after granting the EFCC’s application to permanently transfer the affected assets to the Federal Government, ruling that the properties were liable to forfeiture under Nigeria’s asset recovery laws.

The ruling followed months of legal proceedings in which the anti-graft agency argued that the properties were reasonably suspected to have been acquired through unlawful means.

The court had earlier issued interim forfeiture orders before hearing submissions from both the EFCC and legal representatives of the respondents on whether the assets should be permanently forfeited.

According to the EFCC, sufficient evidence was presented to justify the final forfeiture under Nigeria’s non-conviction-based asset recovery framework, which allows courts to order the forfeiture of assets linked to unlawful activities even in the absence of a criminal conviction.
Although the initial proceedings covered 57 properties, the court granted final forfeiture of 48, determining their permanent transfer to the Federal Government.
The judgment is regarded as one of the EFCC’s most significant asset recovery victories involving high-value real estate.

Asset forfeiture remains a key component of Nigeria’s anti-corruption strategy, aimed at recovering proceeds of unlawful activities and promoting accountability.

The EFCC has consistently maintained that recovering illicit assets prevents illegally acquired wealth from remaining in private hands and strengthens public confidence in anti-corruption efforts.

Beyond its legal implications, the case underscores the growing emphasis on transparency and compliance within Nigeria’s real estate sector.

Analysts say major forfeiture cases reinforce the need for proper documentation, disclosure of beneficial ownership and strict adherence to anti-money laundering regulations to safeguard the integrity of the property market.

Stakeholders also believe stronger enforcement of asset recovery laws will discourage the use of real estate to conceal illicit wealth while promoting greater transparency in property transactions.

The judgment further highlights the judiciary’s role in ensuring due process in asset recovery proceedings, with the court weighing evidence presented by both parties before reaching its decision.

The forfeiture of the 48 properties marks another milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen asset recovery and improve governance through enhanced transparency and judicial oversight.

It also signals increasing scrutiny of high-value real estate transactions within the country’s anti-corruption framework.

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According to the Customs boss, the Service received 573,680 applications for just 3,852 available positions, making the exercise one of the most competitive in the agency’s history. He explained that all applications underwent rigorous screening procedures, including computer-based examinations, verification of credentials against the National Identity database, and additional checks where inconsistencies were detected. He noted that candidates who made the final list would still undergo physical and medical examinations before receiving final approval from the Nigeria Customs Service Board. Adeniyi disclosed that the overall success rate was 0.67 per cent, meaning only one out of every 148 applicants secured a place in the exercise. Breaking down the figures, he said the Superintendent Cadre attracted 276,995 applications for 1,275 vacancies, representing one successful applicant out of every 217 candidates. The Inspectorate Cadre recorded 128,604 applications for 367 positions, making it the most competitive category with one successful candidate for every 350 applicants, while the Customs Assistant Cadre received 168,081 applications for 2,210 vacancies, translating to one successful applicant for every 76 candidates. He encouraged unsuccessful applicants not to be discouraged, stressing that many met the required qualifications but could not be accommodated because of the limited vacancies and intense competition. The Comptroller-General said the recruitment reflected the Federal Character principle, with all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory represented. Each state was allocated 105 slots, comprising 35 positions in the Superintendent Cadre, 10 in the Inspectorate Cadre and 60 in the Customs Assistant Cadre, while the FCT received 72 slots under the approved allocation formula. On gender representation, Adeniyi revealed that women accounted for 839 successful candidates, representing 21.8 per cent of the total intake, slightly higher than their 21.2 per cent share of the total applications received. He added that female applicants recorded a marginally higher success rate than their male counterparts, particularly in the Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres, reaffirming the Service’s commitment to encouraging greater female participation in future recruitment, especially in operational and enforcement roles. According to him, the exercise also produced a youthful workforce, with a median age of 26 years and nearly three-quarters of the successful candidates below the age of 30. He said the youthful intake would strengthen the Service’s capacity to embrace modern customs administration driven by technology, data analytics and automated risk management. Adeniyi further announced that the Nigeria Customs Service would now conduct recruitment exercises annually instead of waiting several years between recruitment cycles. He disclosed that the 2026 recruitment exercise would commence later this year, expressing confidence that future recruitment would be completed within a single calendar year, from advertisement to the publication of the final list. According to him, the digital systems, screening architecture and verification processes developed during the current exercise would significantly shorten future recruitment timelines. He explained that the annual recruitment policy would enable the Service to plan its workforce more effectively, promptly replace retiring personnel and provide qualified Nigerians with predictable employment opportunities. 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