Court Orders Forfeiture of $49,700 Recovered from Ex-INEC Official

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of $49,700 allegedly recovered from Dr. Nura Ali, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Sokoto State, during the 2023 general elections.

Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order on Wednesday after granting a motion filed by counsel for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Osuobeni Akponimisingha.

Akponimisingha informed the court that the ICPC had complied with an earlier interim forfeiture order, including the publication of a public notice inviting any interested parties to contest the forfeiture. He added that no objections or claims had been received within the stipulated period.

“We, therefore, seek an order permanently forfeiting the sum of $49,700 to the Federal Government, in view of the compliance with the interim order and the absence of any opposition,” the ICPC counsel stated.

In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the application was meritorious. “I have listened to the submission of learned counsel for the applicant and carefully examined the supporting affidavit. I am satisfied that the application is meritorious. Consequently, it is hereby granted,” the judge ruled.

The court had earlier, on December 30, 2024, granted an interim forfeiture order following an ex parte motion jointly filed by the ICPC and the Department of State Services (DSS).

The motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1846/2024, sought the temporary forfeiture of the recovered funds pending the conclusion of investigations. It was jointly signed by the DSS Director of Legal Services, Mr. Usman Dauda, and filed by Akponimisingha on behalf of the ICPC.

According to a supporting affidavit deposed to by ICPC litigation officer, Iliya Markus, the money was recovered during a DSS search of Ali’s residence in Kano. Intelligence reports had alleged that the former REC received bribes from political stakeholders while serving in Sokoto State.

Markus stated that Ali, in his statement to investigators, claimed the money was a gift from former Sokoto State governor Aminu Tambuwal and Senator Aliyu Wamakko. He also later wrote to the DSS requesting the release of the funds.

The ICPC argued that INEC does not pay its staff in U.S. dollars and maintained that the funds were suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.

Following compliance with the interim order and the absence of any objection, the court granted the ICPC’s request for the permanent forfeiture of the funds to the Federal Government.