News
Supreme Court dismisses 36 states’ suit against FG over recovered loot
- /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/images-2024-10-08T200737.289.jpeg&description=Supreme Court dismisses 36 states’ suit against FG over recovered loot', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/images-2024-10-08T200737.289.jpeg&description=Supreme Court dismisses 36 states’ suit against FG over recovered loot', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
The Supreme Court has dismissed a suit by the 36 states’ governments and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) challenging the federal government’s application of recovered looted funds.
In a judgment on Friday, a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court was unanimous in holding that the suit was wrongly instituted before the apex court.
In the lead judgment, prepared by Justice Chidiebere Uwa, but read by Justice Mohammed Idris, the apex court held that the plaintiffs wrongly invoked its jurisdiction.
It held that the subject matter of the suit, marked: SC/CV/395/2021, was within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
The plaintiffs had claimed that “between 2015 and 2021 when the suit was filed, the FG has secured both international and municipal forfeiture, recovery and repatriation of “stolen assets” in the sum of NI,836,906,543,658.73, about 167 properties, 450 cars, 300 trucks and cargoes, and 20,000,000 barrels of crude oil worth over N450million,” which it allegedly failed to remit as required by the Constitution.
They alleged that instead of paying the cash into the Federation Account, the FG illegally diverted it into the Consolidated Revenue Accounts (CRA) and other accounts not recognised by the Nigerian Constitution.
The states argued that the CRA is the account into which FG’s share from the Federation Account, other federal earnings and funds belonging to specific state governments are paid.
They added that other federal earnings payable to the CRAs include receipts from federal government licenses and land revenue, administrative fees, earnings and sales, rent of government property, interests from federal government investments, repayments from state governments, Personal Income Tax of Armed Forces and others.
The plaintiffs stated that by establishing the Asset Recovery Account and Interim Forfeiture Recovery Account, into which revenue from recovered assets was to be paid, the Asset Recovery Regulation contradicts the provisions of the Constitution.
They noted that since 2015, “numerous recoveries of illegally acquired assets have been secured through anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies,” including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Nigerian Police Force and the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
The plaintiffs, citing sections 162(1), 162 (10) and 80 of the Constitution and section 2 of the Finance (Control and Management) Act, 1958, argued that recovered funds qualify as revenue payable to the Federation Account instead of the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Government.
They stated that it is “unconstitutional to remit or divert revenue payable into the Federation Account to the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Government or any other account whatsoever, or to apply the said revenue to any other purpose,” the plaintiffs argued.
The plaintiffs prayed the court to, among others, declare, “that by the provisions of Section 162(1) and Section 162(10) of the Constitution of all income, returns, proceeds or receipts howsoever described derived from confiscated, forfeited and/or recovered assets constitute revenue of the federal republic of Nigeria, must be remitted to the Federation Account for the collective benefit of the federal, state and local governments.
They urged the court to issue a d order compelling the remittance of N1.8 trillion (cash) and N450 billion (non-cash) in recovered loot since 2015 into the federation account.
The plaintiffs also prayed the court to compel the defendants to give a detailed account of the recovered assets that are not remitted into the Federation Account by the President, as well as all the relevant officials and agencies of government.
They also want the apex court to compel the FG, through the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC), to design the modalities for distributing recovered assets among the federating units.
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the transfer of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, to the Kuje Correctional Centre to begin serving his 75-year prison sentence for corruption.
The directive followed his presentation in court on Tuesday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which also filed an application seeking the forfeiture of five additional properties linked to the convict.
During proceedings, the court was informed that Mamman fled Abuja to Kaduna shortly after his sentencing earlier in May, allegedly due to ill health. A relative, who assisted him, told the court he was unaware of the ownership of the apartment where the former minister was hiding.
Justice Omotosho ruled that Mamman’s sentence takes immediate effect, noting that he had been present in Abuja when judgment was delivered but absconded afterward.
The EFCC, through its Director of Public Prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo, requested a consequential order for the forfeiture of properties in Abuja and Kaduna allegedly acquired with illicit funds.
However, the court adjourned the forfeiture application to June 8, 2026, to allow Mamman secure legal representation and respond to the claims, after his counsel failed to appear in court.
Mamman was convicted on May 7, 2026, on a 16-count charge bordering on money laundering amounting to over ₦33.8bn. He was subsequently sentenced to a cumulative 75 years imprisonment.
The court had earlier issued a warrant for his arrest over repeated absence from proceedings. EFCC operatives later apprehended him on May 19 in Rigasa, Kaduna State, following intelligence-led operations.
Justice Christopher, a Nigerian activist popularly known as JusticeCrack, says Peter Obi worked behind the scenes to secure his release while he was in detention by the Department of State Services (DSS).
In a post shared on social media on Monday, the activist said he attended the aspirants’ dinner organised by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) after appearing in court on May 25.
He noted that Obi, a former governor of Anambra state, who described as his political principal, joined the NDC while he was still in DSS custody.
“While I was in detention, many people believed that Peter Obi had abandoned me, but what many did not know was that he was working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that I regained my freedom and that my wife and children were okay.
“At the same time, many Nigerians also stood up for me, spoke out, prayed, and demanded my release. For that, I will forever remain grateful.
“Today, more than ever, I am proud to call myself a Nigerian, and I still strongly believe that a new Nigeria is indeed possible and Nigeria will definitely be okay,” he stated.
Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has dismissed a viral report claiming that he won 45 million votes in a purported presidential primary election of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
The claim, which circulated on social media and some online platforms, alleged that the former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate emerged as the winner of an NDC primary.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the spokesperson of the Peter Obi Media Office, Ibrahim Umar, the office said no such primary election was held.
It added that no results or figures were generated from any such process.
“The attention of the Peter Obi Media Office has been drawn to certain 45 million primary vote figures currently circulating on social media and various news platforms, purporting to be the breakdown of official results from an imaginary primary by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), ascribed to Mr Peter Obi,” the statement read.
The media office said the figures being circulated were “entirely false” and had no basis in reality.
It urged members of the public, supporters and media organisations to disregard the report.
The statement stressed that official information regarding Obi’s political engagements would only be released through verified and authorised communication channels.
The media office also accused those behind the publication of attempting to misrepresent Obi and link him to fraudulent narratives.
It said the former Anambra State governor should not be associated with any report concerning a primary election that never took place.
Iran accuses US of violating ceasefire over past 48 hours
Court orders transfer of ex-power minister Saleh Mamman to Kuje prison
“Peter Obi Worked Behind The Scenes For My Release” — Activist Arrested By DSS Reveals
-
Politics21 hours agoJust in: Atiku tops in ADC 2027 Presidential Primary, Amaechi, Hayatu-Deen trail
-
News16 hours agoWave of Defections Hit APC In Northern Nigeria As Senators, Lawmakers Resigned from Party Over Primaries
-
News16 hours agoAbuja residents hail Wike as “talk and do minister” during inspection (Video)
-
News19 hours agoMarwa visits injured NDLEA officers in hospital, promises them of justice, full support(Photos)
-
Economy16 hours agoSee Black Market Dollar To Naira Exchange Rate Today 26th May 2026
-
News15 hours agoFinally, Court trashes suit seeking to bar Goodluck Jonathan from 2027 presidential race
-
News14 hours agoEid-el-Kabir: Senator Manu salutes Muslims, calls for special prayers to elevate Nigeria
-
News11 hours agoEid El Kabir: Akpabio calls for sacrifice, unity and national renewal
Warning: Undefined variable $user_ID in /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/themes/zox-news/comments.php on line 49
You must be logged in to post a comment Login