Court Orders Permanent Forfeiture of $49,700 Recovered from Former INEC REC

Court Orders Permanent Forfeiture of $49,700 Recovered from Former INEC REC

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of $49,700 recovered from Nura Ali, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Sokoto State. The court ruled in favor of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which had applied for the permanent forfeiture of the funds.

The funds were recovered from Ali’s residence in Kano during a Department of State Services (DSS) operation. The ICPC suspected that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity and filed a motion ex parte seeking to temporarily seize the funds. The court granted the interim order of forfeiture, and the funds were deposited in an escrow account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Justice Emeka Nwite ruled that the application for permanent forfeiture was meritorious, stating that no individual or entity had come forward to claim ownership of the funds or challenge the forfeiture. The court ordered the permanent forfeiture of the $49,700 to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The ICPC suspected that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity, and Ali failed to declare the foreign currency as required by law.
-Ali claimed the money was a “gift” from former Sokoto State governors, but failed to provide evidence to support his claim.
-The court’s ruling brings the case to a close, with the funds being permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

The court’s decision is a significant step in the fight against corruption and highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in public office.