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In relation to the criminal charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and two others, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, asserted on Wednesday that some individuals who are unknown to him have subtly attempted to convince him to compromise his adjudicatory duties.

On December 30, 2025, Malami (SAN), his son Abdulaziz, and his wife Asabe Bashir—who works for Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd., a business connected to the former AGF—were charged by the EFCC with N9 billion fraud.

For eight years, Malami was the AGF under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Malami and his co-defendants were specifically charged with trying to hide the illegal source of assets valued at billions of naira in Abuja, Kano, and Kebbi.

Additionally, the EFCC said that Malami and the other defendants had collaborated at different points in time to conceal, hold, and disguise N9 billion in proceeds from illegal activities.

In violation of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, the commission claimed that some of the alleged offenses were committed when Malami was the Federation’s Attorney-General.

Malami, his son, and Asabe have been detained in Kuje jail since December 30. On Wednesday, the court granted them bail.

Furthermore, it was alleged that Malami and his son violated Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 by “procuring Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N1.14 billion, in the Sterling Bank Plc Account No. 0079182387, when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities” between July 2022 and June 2025.

But soon after the former Minister of Justice was granted bail, Justice Nwite shocked the court by claiming that some unidentified people had been trying to entice him into accepting bribes in exchange for a favorable ruling.

With a concerned expression, Justice Nwite cautioned that no one should try to persuade him to lower the bar in the future.

“I want to remind both parties and litigants that they should be aware of the type of court they are coming before before I end this proceeding.

Not every judge is the same. Even though I’m getting to know you, please don’t approach me when I’m working on any case.

Hiring the greatest attorney is the best thing you can do for your client. From the perspective of this court, the law cannot be bent.

Therefore, I would want to caution all litigants and attorneys who appear before this court to be aware of how this court operates.

Please remember that being prepared means being forewarned. I will oppose and deal with any attempt to be lenient. “I warn, I warn, and I warn,” said Justice Nwite.

on the meantime, Malami, his son, and his wife each received N500 million on bail from Judge Nwite.

The Federal Government is prosecuting the defendants for allegedly frittering over N9 billion while in government.

Malami is required by the terms of his bail to present two sureties who will stand in his place for the same amount.

Judge Nwite mandated that the two sureties have landed properties in Maitama, Asokoro, or Gwarimpa in his decision about the bail application.

The deputy chief registrar of the court was instructed by the court to verify the property documents, and the sureties were also required to provide an affidavit of means.

In addition, Malami must give the court his travel documents and cannot leave the country without the court’s express consent.

Furthermore, the court ordered the former AGF and his sureties to turn in two recent passport photos.

Malami’s bail conditions must be met before he may be released from Kuje jail.

Justice Nwite has scheduled the trial to begin on February 17.

A court orders the temporary forfeiture of 57 properties connected to Malami that are valued at N213 billion.

In the meantime, 57 properties connected to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami and his two sons, Abdulaziz and Abiru-Rahman Malami, have been temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government by a Federal High Court in Abuja.

According to a statement released on Wednesday by the EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, Justice Emeka Nwite issued the decision on Tuesday in response to an ex-parte motion submitted by Ekele Iheanacho, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s attorney.

According to Oyewale, the properties, which are thought to represent the results of illegal activity, are situated in Abuja as well as the states of Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna and are estimated to be worth N213.2 billion.

In his decision, Justice Nwite ordered the properties listed in the motion’s schedule to be temporarily forfeited to the federal government.

The judge was quoted as saying, “It is hereby ordered that an interim order of this honourable court is hereby made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the properties described in Schedule 1 below which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”

According to Oyewale, the judge also mandated that the EFCC publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper so that any interested parties might argue against the permanent forfeiture of the properties within 14 days.

The case was postponed until January 27, 2026, in order to provide a compliance report.

University buildings, hotels, schools, filling stations, warehouses, residential buildings, plazas, stores, factories, and vast tracts of land spread throughout the four states and the Federal Capital Territory are among the assets listed.

“Luxury duplex at Amazon Street, Plot No. 3011 within Cadastral Zone, A06 Mai‘tama; File No: An enhancement 11352, which was purchased in December 2022 at N500, 000, 000.00 (value after enhancement at N5,950,000,000),” he stated. Located at No. 3, Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki, Cadastral Zone, A03, Abuja (previously Harmonia Hotels Limited), FCT, this two-winged, multi-story skyscraper was acquired in December 2018 for N7,000,000,000.

“Plot 683, Jabi District, Caldastral Zone B04, consists of a five-story building (now Luxurious Meethaq Hotels Ltd., Jabi with 53 rooms/suites) that was purchased in September 2020 at carcass level for N850,000,000 with an additional N300,000,000 to take possession (value after completion N8,400,000,000). Property No. 3130, which includes terraces and is located in Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, FCT, Abuja, was acquired for N360,000,000 in January 2021.

“Property No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja (Meethaq Hotels Limited, Maitama with 15 rooms), which was bought in February 2018 for N430,000,000 (current value after rehabilitation is N12,950,000,000).”

Plot No. 1241B, Asokoro District Zone (No. 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent) Asokoro District, which was acquired in July 2021 for N325,000,000, is another. Shop No. C82 Citiescape—Shariff Plaza, Plot 739 Cadastral Zone A07, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse Il, FCT, Abuja, was acquired for N120,000,000 in March 2024.

The property at No. 4 Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano was acquired in December 2022 for N300,000,000. The purchase of Plot 157, Lamido Crescent, Nasarawa, GRA, Kano, in July 2019 was made without a stated price. A plaza, neighboring warehouse tanks, laundry facilities, and business restrooms. A 100-hectare plot of land along Birnin Kebbi, Jega Road, was acquired in 2020 for N100,000,000.

Jega Road’s Birnin Kebbi was acquired in 2020 for N100,000,000.

The Gesse Phase, Birnin Kebbi, four-bedroom bungalow was acquired in 2023 for N101,000,000. Shops Nos. A36, B3 Vegas Mall, Wuse 2, Abuja were acquired for N158,000,000 in July of 2023. In 2022, N136,000,000 was paid for No. 26, Babbi Drive, Bua Estate, Abuja. No. 27, Efab Estates Avenue, 59 Crescent, Gwarimpa, Abuja was acquired for N120,000,000 in January of 2016. In January 2018, a four-bedroom, two-room boys’ quarters at No. 10B, Doka Crescent Abakpa GRA, Kaduna, was acquired for N40,000,000. In June 2018, N85,000,000 was paid for Plot No. 13 in Ipent 7 Estate, Karsana District, Abuja.

“A boys’ quarters and bedroom duplex at No. 12 Yalinga Street, Off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, was acquired in October 2018 for N150,000,000. Two warehouse stores, B40 and B46, were acquired in July 2020 for N50,000,000 in Wuse Market, Abuja. Between February and May of 2017, twin homes at Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, Cadastral Zone B01, Plot 14014, Gudu District, Abuja, were bought for N250,000,000. The Federal Housing Authority Mortgage sold properties that Khadimiyya purchased for the Justice & Development Initiative at the Academic Garden City, Birnin Kebbi.

Among the other assets included in the schedule are nine three-bedroom bungalow flats, three two-bedroom bungalow units, and 5.4 hectares of land that were bought between February and September of 2023 for N187,000,000.

Malami, his son Abubakar Abdulaziz, and his wife Bashir Asabebe are already on trial before Justice Nwite for allegedly laundering N8.7 billion.