HURIWA commends EFCC for forfeiture conviction on Malami

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja, has ordered the final forfeiture of assets linked to businesswoman, Ms Aisha Achimugu, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The forfeited assets include jewellery valued at N4,645,170, 294.09,11 exotic vehicles worth N4,293,000,000, $50,000 and N30 million cash.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie made the order yesterday, while delivering judgment on an application for the final forfeiture of the assets filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court held that the assets were proceeds of unlawful activities, following investigations by the Commission.

The investigation was triggered by financial intelligence revealing massive inflows and outflows through more than 136 bank accounts linked to Achimugu, involving billions of naira and millions of dollars.

Findings showed that the huge sums that passed through companies associated with her were not declared as revenue in the financial statements submitted to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

During the investigation, EFCC operatives executed search warrants at Achimugu’s residence, where the assets were recovered. While being interrogated, she was issued an Assets Declaration Form, which she completed but failed to declare the recovered assets as part of her holdings.

Following the investigation, the Commission, through its legal team led by Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, filed an application seeking an interim forfeiture order pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.

Justice Onwuegbuzie had earlier granted the interim forfeiture order and directed the EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper, inviting any person with an interest in the assets to show cause within 14 days why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

The Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, in a statement, said the commission complied with the directive and subsequently filed an application for final forfeiture. Achimugu, through her legal team, filed affidavits challenging the application and also sought to set aside the interim forfeiture order.

The EFCC opposed the applications with a counter-affidavit.

After hearing arguments from both parties, the court reserved judgment until July 16, 2026.

In its judgment delivered yesterday, the court granted the EFCC’s application and ordered the final forfeiture of the assets to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, 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, 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?”

“We commend the EFCC for demonstrating courage in pursuing this case. No individual, no matter how influential, should be placed above the law,” the group said.