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

The money was reportedly recovered during the 2023 general election.

Emeka Nwite, the Presiding Judge, granted the order following a motion filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

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While moving the application, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, counsel to the ICPC, told the court that the commission had complied with an earlier interim order for the temporary forfeiture of the money.

He said a public notice was issued seeking interested persons to show cause why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government as directed by the court.

Akponimisingha added that since the publication, no one had come forward to claim the funds or appeared in court to contest the forfeiture.

“We, therefore, seek an order forfeiting the sum of $49,700 to the federal government in view of the processes filed in respect of this matter from interim forfeiture to this stage, my lord,” he said.

In his ruling, Nwite said the application was meritorious.

“I have listened to the submission of the learned counsel to the applicant and I have also gone through the affidavit evidence. I am of the view that the application is meritorious. Consequently, the application is granted,” the judge ruled.

The Federal government had told the court that the money could not be the legitimate earning of Dr Ali, adding that it is suspected to be the proceeds of crime.

The Federal government argued that INEC does not pay its staff members with United States dollars as salaries or allowances