Abacha Family Loses Bid To Stop Assets Forfeiture Proceedings

The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed an appeal filed by family members of  former head of state, late General Sani Abacha, seeking to stop proceedings aimed at recovering more loot traced to them.

Son of the late leader, Mohammed Abacha, sought to stop the re-opening of the criminal forfeiture proceedings against his father’s assets and those linked to some members of his family regarded as the proceeds of the looting of the nation’s treasury during Abacha’s rule between 1993 and 1998.

In the judgement read by Emmanuel Agim, the Supreme Court held that the lower courts’ concurrent findings of facts in the matter were unassailable.

Agim dismissed the appeal and ordered the parties to bear the cost of the legal action.

The appeal marked: SC/641/2013 was filed by the eldest surviving son of the deceased dictator, Mohammed, and his brother, Abba, for themselves and on behalf of their family.