Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order after approving an ex-parte application filed by the commission. The judge ruled that the application had merit and directed that the funds be temporarily forfeited pending further proceedings. The court also ordered that the forfeiture notice be published in a national newspaper to allow interested parties to contest the forfeiture.
The case was adjourned to January 21, 2026, for compliance updates. Court documents revealed that ₦1,109,230,000 was recovered during investigations into alleged illegal withdrawals from the Kano State account held at United Bank for Africa.
An affidavit from the commission stated that a petition from concerned Kano citizens in August 2024 alleged that ₦2.3 billion was withdrawn in cash for unauthorized purposes. Investigations showed that ₦1.1 billion was paid to two Bureau de Change firms under the pretense of diesel supply contracts. However, the supposed oil companies denied issuing any contracts or supplying goods.
The funds were reportedly converted to foreign currency and handed to a government official through intermediaries. The official admitted receiving the money.
The commission has recovered ₦1,109,230,000 in two installments and deposited it in a recovery account. The interim forfeiture was sought to preserve the funds pending further legal action. The case will resume in January 2026 for potential objections before a final forfeiture ruling.
