Dr Nura Ali, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Sokoto State, during the 2023 general elections has forfeited $49,700 recovered from his home to the federal government.
The Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the permanent forfeiture of the sum on Wednesday.
Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order after counsel for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Osuobeni Akponimisingha, moved a motion seeking the final forfeiture of the funds.
Akponimisingha informed the court that the ICPC had complied with an earlier order directing temporary forfeiture of the money and had published a public notice inviting any interested parties to show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
He noted that no objections or representations had been received following the publication.
“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,” Akponimisingha said.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite said the application had merit.
“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 trial judge had 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 temporary forfeiture of the recovered sum pending further investigations. The application, signed by Mr Usman Dauda, Director of Legal Services for the DSS, and filed by Akponimisingha on behalf of the ICPC, stated that the money was found during a DSS search at Dr Ali’s residence in Kano.
According to the supporting affidavit deposed to by Iliya Markus, a litigation officer with the ICPC, intelligence reports alleged that Ali received bribes from political stakeholders while serving as INEC REC in Sokoto State.
Markus stated that during the search, $49,700 was recovered, and Ali, in his statement, claimed that the money was a gift from former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal and Senator Aliyu Wamakko. He later wrote to the DSS requesting the release of the seized funds.
The ICPC maintained that INEC does not pay its staff in US dollars, and that the recovered money was suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.
Following the interim order, the court had directed the publication of a notice in a national newspaper inviting interested parties to show cause why the funds should not be forfeited. After confirming compliance and noting that no objections were received, the court granted the ICPC’s request for final forfeiture of the funds to the Federal Government.