A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of $49,700 allegedly recovered from a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Sokoto State, Dr. Nura Ali.
The money was reportedly offered as a bribe to Dr. Ali, who was deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to serve as REC during the general elections in Sokoto State. Security operatives recovered the foreign currency after a search of his residence.
Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the ruling following an application filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The ICPC, represented by its counsel, Mr. Osuobeni Akponimisingha, informed the court that it had complied with earlier interim orders, including a publication inviting any interested parties to claim the funds.
Akponimisingha stated that since the publication, no one had come forward to contest the forfeiture. After reviewing the application and supporting affidavit, Justice Nwite ruled that the request was meritorious and granted the order, permanently forfeiting the funds to the Federal Government.
Earlier, on December 30, 2024, the ICPC and the Department of State Services (DSS) had secured an interim order permitting the Federal Government to retain the seized funds in an escrow account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), pending further investigation.
The motion had described the recovered amount as “property suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity,” with the Federal Republic of Nigeria listed as the applicant and Dr. Nura Ali as the sole respondent.
