The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has affirmed the powers of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate and recover government property from suspended public officials.
This followed the dismissal of a fundamental rights suit filed by the suspended Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu, who accused the Commission of harassment and rights violations.
Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme, in her judgment, ruled that the ICPC acted within its statutory mandate and that the former NCAA boss failed to establish any breach of his rights.
“Courts must refrain from clipping the wings of enforcement agencies unnecessarily,” the judge said, adding that Captain Nuhu’s application lacked merit and was “dismissed in its entirety.”
Captain Nuhu had approached the court to challenge an ICPC invitation over his alleged continued possession of three official vehicles — a Toyota Land Cruiser VXR V8, a Toyota Hilux, and a Lexus LX 570s — months after his suspension from office.
He argued that the invitation amounted to intimidation and a duplication of investigation since the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was already probing him.
But the ICPC, in its counter-affidavit, maintained that its inquiry was limited to the recovery of government assets unlawfully retained by the suspended official, not the issues under EFCC investigation.
The ruling reaffirmed the ICPC’s authority to invite and question public officers over the use or retention of government property pending investigations.
ICPC Nets ₦1.86bn from Asset Disposal
In a separate development, the ICPC said it realized ₦1.86 billion from the disposal of forfeited assets in 2024 — the highest figure since the Commission was established.
According to the Commission, the amount was generated from the auction of 23 forfeited assets conducted in compliance with the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act (POCA) 2022.
Out of the 23 assets disposed of, 10 were successfully sold in December 2024, while seven received bids below the approved threshold, and six others were affected by legal or security constraints. Four unsold assets have been rolled over into the 2025 disposal programme.
For the 2025 cycle, the ICPC’s Asset Disposal Committee has listed 30 movable and immovable assets for auction, including 12 immovable properties, three movable assets, and 11 batches of perishables.
A breakdown of the proceeds showed ₦3.9 million from perishable and scrapped items, ₦975 million from off-cycle disposals, and ₦890 million from on-cycle disposals.
ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), who presided over the 2025 Asset Disposal Committee meeting, described asset recovery as a “potent weapon” in the fight against corruption.
“The significance of asset recovery cannot be overstated. It restores public resources to their rightful use and reinforces citizens’ confidence in governance,” Dr. Aliyu said.
He noted that civil forfeiture provides a faster, cheaper, and more transparent means of reclaiming stolen assets, stressing that transparency and accountability remain central to the Commission’s asset management process.
The 2025 meeting was observed by independent representatives from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Accountability Lab, and the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI).
Dr. Aliyu commended the presence of the observers, saying their participation enhances public trust in the Commission’s asset disposal operations.
