Court Orders Forfeiture of $49,700 Linked to Former INEC Commissioner

By Diafa Doubra,

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of $49,700 recovered from Dr. Nura Ali, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Sokoto State.

The ruling followed an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which argued that the money was suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. Justice Emeka Nwite, who presided over the case, held that the anti-graft agency had provided sufficient evidence showing that the funds were not lawfully acquired.

Dr. Ali, who was recently dismissed from INEC over allegations of financial misconduct, reportedly failed to appear in court or provide any credible explanation for the source of the funds. The EFCC’s investigation revealed that the money was part of questionable transactions linked to election logistics and contract kickbacks.

In his ruling, Justice Nwite declared that the funds should be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government, reinforcing the judiciary’s stance on corruption-related cases. The court’s decision marks another step in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to clean up electoral institutions and restore public confidence in governance.