…warns against re-looting recovered properties

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for securing a final forfeiture order on dozens of properties allegedly linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The group described the development as one of the most significant anti-corruption actions in recent years but cautioned the Federal Government against allowing recovered assets to be diverted to politically connected individuals.

In a statement issued yesterday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA said while the matter had gone through the judicial process and all parties were entitled to due process, the scale of the assets involved highlighted the need to address what it described as the reckless accumulation of wealth by some public officials.
The association questioned the justification for such extensive property ownership by a single individual, asking: “In how many houses can one man genuinely live in one lifetime?”

It praised the EFCC for pursuing the case, stressing that no public official should be above the law.
“We commend the EFCC for demonstrating courage in pursuing this case. No individual, no matter how influential, should be placed above the law. However, recovering assets is only the beginning.

“The real challenge is ensuring that recovered assets do not disappear into another cycle of elite capture,” the group said.
HURIWA warned that Nigerians would resist any attempt to secretly allocate forfeited properties to political associates, government officials or other influential persons.

According to the group, recovered public assets must not become victims of another round of corruption through under-valued sales, secret transfers or politically motivated allocations.
It urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure that all assets forfeited to the Federal Government are managed through a transparent and independently monitored framework.

The association recommended that recovered properties be publicly documented, independently valued and either converted into public facilities such as hospitals, schools, research centres, judicial institutions and affordable housing, or sold through an open and competitive process.
“There must be no secret beneficiaries. There must be no midnight transfers. There must be no political compensation disguised as asset disposal. Nigerians are watching,” HURIWA stated.

The rights group also called on the National Assembly, civil society organisations, the media and anti-corruption watchdogs to maintain close oversight of all recovered assets.
It argued that the credibility of Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign would be judged not only by the number of forfeiture orders obtained but by whether recovered public wealth ultimately benefits citizens.

HURIWA maintained that recovered national assets belong to Nigerians and should be deployed to improve public welfare rather than being transferred from one privileged elite to another.