Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday moved to take possession of a residence belonging to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, located in the Maitama area of Abuja.
Witnesses said the officials arrived in several vehicles, heavily armed and dressed in their official gear, before cordoning off access to the property.
A member of Malami’s household, Shehu Koko, told journalists that the former minister was present when the operatives arrived. According to him, the officials did not present a court order at the time but stated they had instructions to take over the building. He added that Malami chose not to resist in order to avoid escalation and allowed them to proceed.
Koko described the development as politically motivated, noting that despite the situation, Malami remained calm and unshaken.
Attempts to gain entry into the residence—situated along Koranakh Close in Maitama—were unsuccessful, as the area had been sealed by security personnel.
The move follows an earlier ruling by a Federal High Court in Abuja, which in January granted an interim forfeiture order covering 57 properties allegedly linked to Malami and his associates. The court directed the anti-graft agency to publish the order publicly, giving interested parties a limited timeframe to contest the forfeiture.
In response, Malami filed a legal challenge in February, opposing the interim seizure of the assets.
Separately, the EFCC had previously brought charges against Malami, his wife, and one of his sons over alleged money laundering involving billions of naira.
Malami, who served as Attorney-General from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, later defected to the African Democratic Congress in July 2025.
