Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to recover over ₦123.7 billion from six former ministers who served under the administration of late former President Muhammadu Buhari. The six are currently facing intense scrutiny from the anti-graft agency over public fund management between 2015 and 2023, leading to investigations and court trials for alleged fraud and diversion of public funds.
Accordingly, the EFCC is targeting funds from them, including notable amounts from Sadiya Umar Farouq ex-Humanitarian Minister (₦37 billion), Timipre Sylva ex-Petroleum Minister (₦21 billion), Hadi Sirika former Minister of Aviation (₦19.4 billion), and others involved in alleged financial misconduct. The development followed public scrutiny of the management of public funds during the Buhari administration between 2015 and 2023.
As a candidate for the Presidency, Buhari had taken a tough stance against corruption. He was noted to have said, “If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.”
However, as a president, it was believed that corruption continued to thrive under his leadership, with many key officials including ministers involved in high-profile corruption allegations. An analysis of the amount allegedly siphoned by the ex-ministers show that N33.8 billion was traced to the convicted former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman.
Also, former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, is facing trial alongside his daughter, Fatima Sirika, and son-in-law, Jalal Sule. The EFCC accused them of abuse of office and fraudulent contract awards amounting to about N2.7 billion. According to the charges, Sirika allegedly used his office to award contracts connected to the Katsina Airport project and consultancy services for the Nigerian Air Force initiative to companies allegedly linked to members of his family.
The defendants pleaded not guilty when arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja in 2024 and were granted bail. The matter was adjourned until December 2025 for the continuation of the trial.
Also on the list is the former Governor of Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige, who served as the Minister of Labour and Employment under the late Buhari. He was arraigned in December 2025 on allegations of abuse of office, contract fraud and unlawful gratification.
The EFCC alleged that Ngige received gifts and financial benefits worth N2.26 billion from contractors linked to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), during his time in office between 2015 and 2023. Prosecutors accused him of influencing contract processes and receiving illegal benefits from companies that secured government jobs under agencies supervised by his ministry.
However, Ngige pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge and was remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his bail application.
Another powerful cabinet member in the late Buhari administration, Mallam Abubakar Malami (SAN), is also under probe over investments said to be worth over N10bn in Kebbi State. Malami is a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
The EFCC detained him and initiated plans to arraign him and his son on a 16-count charge involving alleged illicit financial dealings. Investigators are also probing his transactions connected to recovered late Dictator Sani Abacha loot amounting to about N346.2 million. However, as of May 2026, formal proceedings against the former AGF were still ongoing.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on January 6, 2026 ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities linked to Malami and two of his sons, Abdulaziz Malami and Abiru Rahman Malami, to the Federal Government. Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order following an ex-parte motion moved by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN). The multi-billion naira landed properties, valued at N213,234,120,000 are located in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna States.
In granting the order, Justice Nwite ruled that, “It is hereby ordered that an interim order of this honourable court is hereby made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the properties described in Schedule 1 below which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”
The judge also directed the publication of the interim order of forfeiture in any national daily “inviting any person(s) or body (ies) who may have interest in the properties listed in the schedule to show cause, within 14 days of the publication, why a final order of forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria of the said assets and properties, should not be made.”
Malami, his wife, Bashir Asabe, and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz, are currently facing an alleged N8.7 billion money laundering charge before Justice Nwite.
The properties include: Rayhaan University Buildings, Agro allied factory buildings, machines, hotels, pharmacy, supermarket, primary and secondary schools, oil and gas filling stations, shops and other buildings. Some of them are: Luxury Duplex at Amazon Street, Plot No. 3011 Within Cadastral Zone, A06 Maitama; File No: AN enhancement 11352, which was purchased in December 2022 at N500, 000, 000.00 (value after enhancement at N5,950,000,000).
Others are: Two-Winged Large Storey Building Situate at No. 3, Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki, Cadastral Zone, A03, Abuja (formerly Harmonia Hotels Limited), FCT, which was purchased Dec. 2018 at N7,000,000,000.
There also Plot 683, Jabi District, Cadastral Zone B04, comprising a five storey Building (Now Luxurious Meethaq Hotels Ltd, Jabi with 53 rooms/suites), which was purchased in Sept. 2020 at carcass level at N850,000,000 with additional N300,000,000 to take possession (value after completion N8,400,000,000), as well as Property No. 3130 within Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, FCT, Abuja, Comprising Terraces, purchased in January 2021 at N360,000,000 among others
The EFCC also declared former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, wanted over an alleged $14.8 million (N21 billion) fraud. The anti-graft agency accused Sylva of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of funds belonging to the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB). According to investigators, the money was allegedly diverted for the development of the Atlantic International Refinery project.
The EFCC said efforts to secure the former minister’s appearance failed before declaring him wanted in November 2025.
A former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, is likewise alleged to have diverted huge sums of government funds for private use. She was accused of two related allegations: the older EFCC probe over N37.1bn in social intervention funds, and a later court case alleging diversion of $1.3m and about N746.6m.
Already, one of the ministers who served in the late Buhari administration, Saleh Mamman, had been convicted and sentenced to 75 years’- imprisonment. Mamman, former Minister of Power, was sentenced to a cumulative 75 years imprisonment over the diversion of N33.8bn linked to major power projects. The Federal High Court in Abuja convicted Mamman on 12 counts bordering on money laundering and diversion of public funds meant for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power projects. The court found that billions of naira earmarked for the projects were illegally diverted through proxies and shell companies during his tenure as power minister.
The former minister received consecutive prison terms, seven years on most counts, alongside additional three-year and two-year sentences on others, bringing the total jail term to 75 years.
The court also ordered the embattled ex- minister to refund N22bn to the Federal Government.
Mamman was reportedly absent when the judgment was delivered. According to findings, if the anti-graft agency succeeds in its prosecution, the embattled former ministers may cough up over N123 billion.