The Supreme Court has rejected a lawsuit brought against the Federal Government concerning the management and distribution of recovered looted assets.
The case was initiated by the 36 state governments and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).
In a unanimous decision delivered by a seven-member panel, the apex court ruled that the lawsuit was improperly filed.
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The lead judgment, prepared by Justice Chidiebere Uwa and read by Justice Mohammed Idris, determined that the issue fell under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
The case, marked SC/CV/395/2021, aimed to contest the Federal Government’s alleged failure to deposit approximately N1.8 trillion in cash and other assets recovered between 2015 and 2021 into the Federation Account, as mandated by the constitution.
The plaintiffs 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 N1,836,906,543,658.73, about 167 properties, 450 cars, 300 trucks and cargoes, and 20,000,000 barrels of crude oil worth over N450 million,” which they alleged were diverted into unauthorized accounts.
They accused the Federal Government of circumventing the Federation Account by directing the funds into the Consolidated Revenue Account (CRA) and other accounts not recognized by the Nigerian Constitution.
The states argued 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.”
