EFCC lacks power to seal my residence – Malami

Abubakar Malami has said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lacks the legal authority to enforce court orders or execute evictions, accusing the agency of overstepping its powers in sealing his Abuja residence.

Speaking on Tuesday after EFCC operatives took over his Maitama residence, Malami argued that the agency acted outside the law despite ongoing court proceedings.

“Executions of court orders and processes are exclusive functions of court bailiffs, court sheriffs and judicial processes and are not in any way… the prerogative of a party to the litigation,” he said.

The former minister and the EFCC are currently involved in a legal dispute before a federal high court over an interim forfeiture order granted on January 6, 2026.

Through his counsel, Joseph Daudu, Malami has filed a motion challenging the order, alleging that the EFCC obtained it through suppression of material facts and misrepresentation.

He urged the court to dismiss the suit to avoid “conflicting outcomes” and “duplicative litigation,” arguing that the proceedings violate his rights to property, presumption of innocence, and family life. The court has fixed April 20 for hearing of the application.

“By the act of securing the order by the EFCC and by the act of joining issues on my part… it is only natural, logical, legal and judicial that no party is expected to overreach,” Malami said.

“Without seeking for an order to seal my properties, without seeking for an order to evict me and my family members… the EFCC came… to effect forceful eviction.”

He described the action as “extrajudicial”, “unlawful” and “unprecedented in the Nigerian legal system.”

According to him, even if a court had expressly ordered the eviction or takeover, the EFCC would still lack the authority to execute such directives.

“Even if indeed, there was express directives of the court to seal the property or evict my person and my family members from the property… the implementation and execution of those processes are judicial functions and not functions of a litigant,” he said.

“When a matter is pending before a court, you cannot unilaterally take steps that will render the court helpless.”

Malami further alleged that EFCC operatives initially attempted to enforce the takeover on Monday but returned on Tuesday with reinforcement and armed personnel.

“They reinforced this morning with a lot of personnel that are armed and indeed forcefully take over possession of my family residence,” he said.

He also suggested that the timing of the action could be perceived as politically motivated.

The former AGF is currently facing two separate criminal cases filed by the EFCC and the Department of State Services (DSS).