Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has withdrawn from presiding over two cases involving Abubakar Malami, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
The judge announced his decision at the resumed hearing of the matters on Thursday, February 12, citing personal reasons and the need to act in the interest of justice.
Justice Egwuatu did not go into details but stated clearly that it was appropriate for him to step aside from further handling of the cases. Eyes Of Lagos reports,
The cases were instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is prosecuting Malami on a 16-count charge bordering on money laundering.
The charges are linked to an ongoing investigation into Malami’s tenure as Nigeria’s chief law officer during the previous administration.
In December 2025, the anti-graft agency disclosed that it had traced 41 properties valued at about ₦213 billion to the former minister.
According to the EFCC, the properties were allegedly acquired during Malami’s time in office and include hotels, residential buildings, parcels of land, schools, and a printing press.
The assets are said to be spread across Kebbi State, Kano State, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Following Justice Egwuatu’s withdrawal, the cases are expected to be reassigned to another judge by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for further proceedings.
Malami has consistently denied all allegations, describing them as politically motivated, while the EFCC insists it has sufficient evidence to sustain the charges.
