Newsbreak: Court seizes N212billion properties linked to former Justice Minister, Malam

By Omolade Adegbuyi

Some 48 out of 57 properties worth N212 billion traced to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami have been seized.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, [EFCC] had approached a Federal High Court calling for the retrieval of the properties beleived to have been illegally acquired.

Malami was one of the hardliners in former President Mohammadu Buhari’ government. His words were laws durng which he almost called the shot while Buhari’s regime lasted. He served Buhari’s government as Attorney General for eight years.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted the application filed by the EFCC which had earlier carried out diligent investigation on the ownership of properties.

The Judge dismissed claims by Malami’s lawyer and his family claiming the properties were legal.

The Judge said what matters was not “who owns the property, but how legitimate are the funds used to acquire the properties.”

The properties are spread in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna states.

They included luxury hotels, duplexes, plazas, warehouses, shopping units and residential estates acquired over several years.

Malami graduated as a lawyer in 1991 from Usmanu Danfodiyo University where he read Law.

He was called to the bar in 1992. He also attended the University of Maiduguri, where he had his Master’s Public Administration in 1994.

He was a legal practitioner and had served as a state counsel and magistrate in Kebbi State before joining the Congress for Progressive
Change, [CPC] which later alligned with other political parties to form the All Progressives Congress, [APC].

The list of the 57 properties are provided below.

The Federal Government is expected to take possession of 48 of them.

1. Luxury Duplex at Amazon Street, Plot No. 3011 Within Cadastral Zone, A06 Maitama; File No: AN enhancement 11352, which was purchased in December 2022 at N500, 000, 000.00 (value after enhancement at N5,950,000,000).
2. Two Winged Large Storey Building Situate at No. 3, Onitsha Crescent, Area 11,Garki, Cadastral Zone, A03, Abuja (formerly Harmonia Hotels Limited), FCT, which was purchased Dec. 2018 at N7,000,000,000.
3. Plot 683, Jabi District, Cadastral Zone B04, Comprising of a five storey Building (Now Luxurious Meethaq Hotels Ltd, Jabi with 53 rooms/suites), which was purchased in Sept. 2020 at carcass level at N850,000,000 with additional N300,000,000 to take possession (value after completion N8,400,000,000).
4. Property No. 3130 within Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, FCT, Abuja, Comprising Terraces, purchased in January 2021 at N360,000,000.
5. Property No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja (Meethaq Hotels Limited, Maitama With 15 ROOMS), which was purchased in February 2018 at N430,000,000 (current value after rehabilitation is N12,950,000,000).
6. Plot No. 1241B, Asokoro District Zone (No. 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent) AsokoroDistrict, which was purchased in July 2021 at N325,000,000.
7. Shop No. C82 Citiscape — Shariff Plaza, Plot 739 Cadastral Zone A07, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse Il, FCT, Abuja, which was purchased in March 2024 at N120,000,000.
8. No. 4 Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano, which was purchased in December 2022 at N300,000,000.
9. Plot 157, Lamido Crescent, Nasarawa, GRA, Kano, purchased in July 2019 with no specific amount stated.
10. A Plaza, Commercial Toilets, Laundering, Warehouse Tanks Adjacent to Birnin Kebbi Market at N100 million.
11. 100 Hectares of l;and Along Birnin Kebbi, Jega Road, which was purchased in 2020 at N100,000,000.
12. Four Bedroom Bungalow Gesse Phase, Birnin Kebbi, which was purchased in 2023 at N101,000, 000.
13. Shops Nos. A36, B3 Vegas Mall, Wuse 2, Abuja, which was purchased in July 2023 at N158,000,000.
14. No. 26, Babbi Drive, Bua Estate, Abuja, purchased in 2022 at N136,000,000.
15. No. 27, Efab Estates Avenue, 5th Avenue, 59th Crescent, Gwarimpa, Abuja, purchased in January 2016 at N120,000,000.
16. Four Bedroom/ 2 Rooms Boys Quarters at No. 10B, Doka Crescent Abakpa GRA, Kaduna, purchased in January 2018 at N40, 000, 000.00.
17. Plot No. 13, Ipent 7 Estate, Karsana District, Abuja, purchased in June 2018 at N85,000,000.
18. A Bedroom Duplex & Boys Quarters at No. 12 Yalinga Street, Off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse Il, Abuja, purchased in Oct. 2018 at N150,000,000.
19. Two Warehouse Shops B40 And B46, Wuse Market, Abuja, purchased in July 2020 at N50,000,000.
20. Twin Houses at Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, Cadastral Zone B01, Plot 14014, Gudu District, Abuja, was purchased between February and May 2017 at N250,000,000. Properties acquired by Khadimiyya for Justice & Development Initiative at the Academic Garden City, Birnin Kebbi, sold by the Federal Housing Authority Mortgage namely. 21, 22, and 23. Nine units of three bedroom, bungalow, three units of two bedroom bungalow, and 5.4 hectares of land, which were purchased between February 2023 and September 2023 at N187,000,000, among other assets listed in the schedule. RAYHAAN UNIVERSITY, KEBBI STATE
21. Rayhaan University Permanent Site -N56,000,000,000.00
22. Rayhaan University Temporary Site -N37,800,000,000.00
23. Rayhaan University Third Site – N2,450,000,000.00
24. Rayhaan University Vice Chancellor – N490,000,000.0 RAYHAAN AGRO ALLIED FACTORY IN KEBBI STATE
25. Factory Buildings -N4,200,000,000.00
26. Factory Machines and Plants Units -N10,500,000,000.00
27. Factory Mosque – N2,450,000,000.00
28. Rayhaan Mill Staff Quarters – N1,487,500,000.00
29. Rayhaan Bustan Building – N3,150,000,000.00 AZBIR ARENA KEBBI STATE
30. Azbir Hotel – N10,325,000,000.00
31. Printing Press – N1,050,000,000.00
32. Gallery – N581,000,000.00
33. Gardens – N392,000,000.00
34. Mosque – N252,000,000.00
35. Azbir Clothing – N350,000,000.00
36. Azbir Pharmacy and Supermarket – N175,000,000.00 OTHER PROPERTIES HELD IN KEBBI STATE
37. Al-Afiya Energy Tanker Garage opposite Rayhaan University Health Centre, along Sani Abacha Bypass Road, Birnin-Kebbi – N2,450,000,000.00
38. Rayhaan Model Academy -N11,200,000,000.0
39. Rayhaan Primary and Secondary School – N8,750,000,000.00
40. Rayhaan Security House, off Sani Abacha Bypass, Birnin Kebbi – 245,700,000.00
41. Rayhaan Radio along Sani Abacha, Bypass Road, Birnin, Kebbi – N78,750,000.00
42. Uncompleted 2 Storey Complex Plaza located opposite Central Motor Park, (Eastern Park) Birnin Kebbi – N665,000,000.00
43. Amasdul Oil and Gas Ltd filling station Structure along Sani Abacha Bypass, Road, Birnin Kebbi near Jambali Automobile Workshop, Birnin Kebbi – 1,050, 000,000.00
44. Malami Support Organization Building – 210,000,000.00
45. ADC Kadi Malami Foundation Building – N56,000,000.00
46. Abubakar Malami SAN’s House GRA – N350,000,000.00
47. Abubakar Malami SAN’s House Behind Mobil – N490,000,000.00
48. Abdulaziz Malami (First Son’s House) at Gesse Phase II in Birnin Kebbi – N1,659,000,000.00
49. Abiru-Rahman Abubakar Malami (Second Son’s House) at Gesse Phase II in Birnin-Kebbi – N2,989,000,000.00 PROPERTIES IN KANO
50. Assets of Zeennoor Hotel at Kabuga Satellite Town, off Gwarzo Road, Kano with 131 rooms – N11,200,000,000.00
51. Zeennoor Mosque at Kabuga, Satellite Town, off Gwarzo Road, Kano – N84,000,000.00
52. Zeennor Old Hotel Building -N280,000,000.00
53. Rayhaan Hotel, Kano Located at Plot 27/28 Opp-Aminu kano Teaching Hospital, Southern Kano (Land And Luxurious Building of more than 50 rooms, with appurtenances- N2,240,000,000.00
54. Rayhaan Gym, Kano House Comprising of a Storey Building Opposite Rayhaan Hotel – N1,225,000,000.00