The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of N1.1bn allegedly linked to the Kano State Government.
Justice Emeka Nwite made the order on Tuesday after granting an ex parte application filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The court held that the application was “meritorious” and ordered that the funds be temporarily forfeited pending further proceedings.
It also directed that the forfeiture order be published in a national newspaper, inviting any interested party to appear and show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The case was adjourned to January 21, 2026, for a report on compliance with the publication order.
The funds, put at N1.109bn, were recovered during investigations into a petition alleging illegal withdrawals from the Kano State Federation Account domiciled with United Bank for Africa.
According to court documents, the ICPC said the money was “reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”
An affidavit deposed to by David Nelson stated that a petition from concerned Kano residents alleged that N2.3bn was withdrawn in cash and diverted for non-government purposes.
Investigators allegedly traced authorisation of the payments to the Kano State Accountant-General, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, involving transfers to two bureau de change companies.
The ICPC further alleged that the transactions were disguised as payments for diesel supplies based on letters of authority from A. Y. Maikifi Oil & Gas Ltd and Ammas Petroleum Company Ltd, but the managing directors of both firms told investigators that no such contracts or supplies existed.
The commission said it recovered the N1.1bn in instalments and urged the court to preserve the funds in the interest of justice, pending the determination of the substantive forfeiture case.
