The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of $49,700 allegedly recovered from Dr. Nura Ali, the 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, October 29, after granting an application filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Moving the motion, ICPC counsel Osuobeni Akponimisingha informed the court that the agency had fully complied with the earlier interim forfeiture order and subsequently published notices inviting any interested party to show cause why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
He, however, told the court that no claimant or representative had come forward since the publication.
“We therefore seek an order forfeiting the sum of $49,700 to the Federal Government in view of the processes filed from interim forfeiture to this stage, my lord,” Akponimisingha said.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite agreed with the ICPC counsel, describing the application as meritorious.
“I have listened to the submission of learned counsel to the applicant and gone through the affidavit evidence. I am of the view that the application is meritorious. Consequently, the application is granted,” the judge ruled.
The development follows an earlier order made on December 30, 2024, by the same court for the temporary forfeiture of the funds.
In the ex-parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1846/2024, the Federal Republic of Nigeria was listed as the applicant, while Dr. Ali was the sole respondent.
The Federal Government had told the court that the money was not part of Dr. Ali’s legitimate earnings as an INEC official and was suspected to be proceeds of crime. It further noted that INEC does not pay its officials in foreign currency.