A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of $49,700 allegedly recovered from Dr. Nura Ali, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner for Sokoto State. Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order after counsel for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Osuobeni Akponimisingha, moved a motion for permanent forfeiture. Akponimisingha noted that the ICPC had complied with the court’s earlier interim order for temporary forfeiture of the money. A notice was issued inviting interested parties to show cause why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government, but no one responded, prompting the lawyer to seek a final forfeiture order, which Justice Nwite approved.
The court had previously ordered the temporary forfeiture of the seized funds on 30 December 2024, after the ICPC and the Department of State Services jointly filed an ex‑parte motion. That motion sought a temporary forfeiture of $49,700 recovered from Ali’s residence during a search operation, alleging the money was the proceeds of unlawful activity. The applicant also requested that the Federal Revenue Service (FRN) conduct a thorough investigation into Ali’s alleged misconduct.
The ICPC alleged that Ali received the money as a bribe during his tenure as Resident Electoral Commissioner in Sokoto State. The commission pointed out that INEC does not pay its staff in dollars and that Ali failed to report the gift to any law‑enforcement agency as required by law. Ali, for his part, claimed the money was given to him by former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal and Senator Aliyu Wamakko. The investigation remains ongoing, and the court has given the FRN 90 days to complete a preliminary investigation and submit a report.
The permanent forfeiture of the funds marks a significant development in the case, reinforcing the government’s commitment to combating corruption and illicit financial activities. The outcome of the investigation and any further actions by the authorities will be closely watched.
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