The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the temporary forfeiture of $49,700 allegedly recovered from Dr. Nura Ali, the former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Sokoto State during the 2023 general elections. The ruling was delivered on Monday by Justice Emeka Nwite following an ex-parte motion filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in collaboration with the State Security Service (SSS).
Basis for the Forfeiture
The ex-parte motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1846/2024, argued that the recovered funds were proceeds of unlawful activities. The ICPC’s counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, told the court that the money was discovered during a search operation at Dr. Ali’s residence in Kano, conducted by the SSS based on intelligence reports.
Supporting the motion, an affidavit deposed by Iliya Markus, a litigation officer with the ICPC, stated that Dr. Ali had received bribes from political stakeholders during his tenure as REC. It also revealed that he failed to declare the funds as required by law and later requested their return in written letters to the SSS.
Court’s Directives
Justice Nwite granted the motion’s prayers, which included:
- Temporary forfeiture of the $49,700 to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
- Joint preliminary investigation by the ICPC and SSS into Dr. Ali’s alleged unlawful activities concerning the funds.
- Deposit of the funds in an escrow account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
- Publication of a notice in a national newspaper inviting interested parties to show cause why the funds should not be permanently forfeited.
The court emphasized that the forfeiture order aimed to preserve the funds from dissipation while investigations continued.
Allegations and Further Investigation
Dr. Ali is accused of receiving $150,000 in bribes, allegedly gifted by former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal and Senator Aliyu Wamakko. Intelligence reports allege that the funds were part of bribes facilitated by political stakeholders during the elections.
The ICPC maintained that the funds were not legitimate earnings and did not align with INEC’s salary structure, as the commission does not pay its staff in foreign currency.
Compliance and Adjournment
The judge ordered the Federal Government to publish a notice inviting claims to the funds and adjourned the case until January 30, 2025, for a compliance report. The matter was further slated for hearing on March 31, 2025, to determine the next steps based on the investigation and public responses.
Implications
This ruling underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to tackling corruption and electoral malpractice. The case also highlights the collaborative efforts of the ICPC and SSS in addressing allegations of misconduct within Nigeria’s electoral processes.
