Di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) don mark one Abuja property wey dem link to former Attorney-General of di Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN). Di action follow one valid interim forfeiture order wey court grant. EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale talk say na normal law enforcement procedure, and di marking na to notify members of di public about di property status.
Oyewale explain say once forfeiture order dey, di agency get right to mark di property to caution di public. “Wetin I mean by attachment of property na di normal marking of di property to caution members of di public say di property wey dem mark like dis na forfeited property, whether for interim or final forfeiture. So when court give forfeiture order, enforcement agency fit go ahead make markings,” Oyewale add.
Di EFCC spokesman dismiss claims say operatives raid di property, insist say di commission only carry out enforcement of court order. “Di commission no go there to raid anywhere. We no involve for any such act. So nothing illegal about wetin we do,” Oyewale talk.
For one two-minute video wey go viral, Malami dey question di operatives over di legality of di action and demand to see di court order wey authorize di marking of him house. Di former minister argue say di order wey dem present no specific to him property and claim say di matter still dey pending for court. He accuse di commission of attempt to embarrass am, talk say, “Where your court order dey? Di order here no specific. E no give una clear directive to come mark my property… Una want move nationwide to embarrass me? Go ahead, we go meet for court.”
One EFCC operative for di video maintain say once property dey under forfeiture, di commission get right to mark am. Di development come few hours after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar lead delegation on solidarity visit to Malami. Atiku, wey recently return from Umrah for Saudi Arabia, also call on authorities to release former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and other detainees. He talk say nobody suppose hold person because dem hold different political ideology from government.
For post for him X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku talk, “Following my return to di country on Saturday night from Umrah (lesser Hajj), I lead delegation on solidarity visit to former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of di Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN. I wish serve notice to authorities wey dey detain former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and all other political detainees to release dem henceforth. No one suppose detain simply because dem no share same ideology or political platform with government of di day.”
Speaking on di clampdown on Malami properties, Atiku declare am as clear evidence of alleged state-sponsored intimidation and abuse of power by President Bola Tinubu administration. For statement through him media office on Monday, Atiku allege say Tinubu dey actively dismantle democracy and push Nigeria toward full-blown authoritarian rule, with dangerous implications for entire West African subregion.
Atiku characterize di action by EFCC as unlawful, driven by vendetta, and politically motivated. “This no be governance. This na intimidation. This na regime wey dey weaponise state power to silence dissent,” Atiku declare. He claim say under Tinubu, Nigeria dey undergo rapid deterioration of democratic norms, with state institutions increasingly deploy as tools for political persecution.
“Wetin we dey see na naked abuse of power—security agencies deploy not for national security, but for settling political scores. This na how democracies die. Make e clear: dis government dey fear competition. Na why e dey resort to brute force—harass, intimidate, and attempt to break opposition leaders into submission,” he state.
He further allege say di sustained targeting of figures like El-Rufai and Malami na part of broader strategy to coerce dem into abandon opposition politics and fall in line with ruling APC. “This na political extortion at highest level—join us or dem go destroy you. Na dat message dem dey send,” he talk.
Di statement continue, “When opposition criminalise, and dissent punish, elections become mere formality. If Tinubu want run unopposed, make INEC stop waste public funds on sham election. We don see dis script before. E end for national disgrace. Wetin dey happen now na dangerous replay—one wey Nigerians must resist. Governors and political leaders dey railroad into APC under threat of persecution. This no be politics—na state capture.”
For January, Federal High Court for Abuja order di interim forfeiture of 57 properties suspect to be proceeds of unlawful activities allegedly link to Malami and two of him sons, Abdulaziz Malami and Abiru Rahman Malami. Di court also direct EFCC to publish di interim forfeiture order for national daily, invite any individual or organisation with interest for di assets to appear before am within 14 days to show cause why di properties no suppose finally forfeit to Federal Government.
For February, Malami file application challenge di interim forfeiture of di properties link to am. EFCC don also arraign Malami, him wife and son over allegations border on money laundering amount to N8,713,923,759.49. For July 2, 2025, Malami announce him defection to African Democratic Congress. Dem appoint am as AGF for 2015 by late President Muhammadu Buhari and he dey di administration until e end for 2023.
EFCC officials mark properties for Abuja, di nation capital, link to Abubakar Malami, former attorney-general of di federation (AGF) and minister of justice, for forfeiture. Di marking of Malami alleged properties take place hours after former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar visit him residence. Di EFCC operatives, alongside armed security personnel, wey carry out di exercise on Monday morning, dem challenge by di former minister and people around am.
For video post for social media, Malami ask man wey appear to be EFCC official to show am di court order wey authorize dem to mark and take over him residence. Di official tell di former AGF say di anti-graft agency get right to mark di property since e dey under forfeiture. Malami respond say di forfeiture order don expire and ask di EFCC official to show am di document wey authorize di marking. Di inscription, “Restrained order EFCC keep off
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