Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has vowed to challenge the Federal High Court judgment ordering the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to him, insisting the legal battle is far from over.

The decision follows Wednesday’s ruling by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)‘s application for the permanent forfeiture of the assets.

In its judgment, the court held that Malami and the other claimants failed to establish that the properties were acquired through legitimate means. It further ruled that they did not successfully rebut the allegation that the assets were proceeds of unlawful activities.

Reacting to the judgment, Malami, through a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, said he disagreed with aspects of the court’s decision and had instructed his legal team to file an appeal immediately.

The former justice minister maintained that the ruling did not represent the final determination of the matter, noting that Nigeria’s judicial system provides parties the opportunity to seek further review at the appellate level.

According to him, the appeal would allow the legal and factual issues raised during the proceedings to be re-examined by the Court of Appeal.

He added that his lawyers had already been directed to commence the appellate process without delay.

Malami reaffirmed his respect for the judiciary, the Constitution and the rule of law, expressing confidence that the appellate court would objectively consider the issues raised in his appeal.

He stressed that every Nigerian has a constitutional right to challenge any judgment through the appropriate legal channels, describing his decision to appeal as a lawful exercise of that right.

The former AGF urged members of the public and the media to refrain from drawing conclusions while the appeal remains pending, insisting that the judicial process should be allowed to run its full course.

He also argued that seeking appellate review should not be interpreted as a sign of disrespect to the trial court.

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Malami thanked the people of Kebbi State and Nigerians who have continued to support and pray for him since the commencement of the case.

He assured his supporters that the court ruling would not diminish his commitment to public service and urged them to remain peaceful, calm and law-abiding throughout the legal process.

The former minister expressed optimism that justice would ultimately prevail, calling on all parties to respect the ongoing judicial proceedings while awaiting the outcome of the appeal.