The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has marked a property in Abuja linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, following an interim forfeiture order granted by a court.
The commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said the action was a standard enforcement procedure aimed at notifying the public of the property’s legal status.
According to him, once a court issues an interim forfeiture order, the agency is empowered to identify and mark the affected asset to caution potential buyers or occupants.
He dismissed claims that operatives raided the property, insisting that what occurred was simply the execution of a lawful court directive.
The development comes amid a viral video showing a tense exchange between Malami and EFCC operatives, in which the former minister questioned the legality of the move and demanded to see a specific court order authorising the action.
Malami maintained that the order presented was not directly tied to his property and described the exercise as an attempt to publicly embarrass him, vowing to challenge the action in court.
The incident drew political attention, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar leading a delegation on a solidarity visit to Malami shortly after returning from Saudi Arabia.
Atiku criticised the move, alleging that it reflected a broader pattern of political intimidation under the administration of Bola Tinubu.
He called for the release of detained political figures, including Nasir El-Rufai, warning against the use of state institutions to suppress opposition voices.
Describing the situation as a dangerous drift toward authoritarianism, Atiku argued that targeting opposition figures undermines democratic principles and weakens public trust in governance.
The legal dispute stems from a Federal High Court order earlier this year, which approved the interim forfeiture of multiple properties allegedly linked to Malami and his associates, pending further judicial determination.
Malami has since challenged the forfeiture in court, setting the stage for a protracted legal and political showdown.
