OKON EFRETI ABANG, J.C.A. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): This appeal is against the decision of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division Coram Ekwo J, dated 22/1/2025. In that decision, the trial Court granted an order of final forfeiture of N1,582,000,000.00 to the Federal Government of Nigeria. Dissatisfied with the decision, the Appellant filed the notice of appeal against the said decision on 27/2/2025. The Notice of Appeal is at pages 722 to 726 of the records of appeal.
The suit leading to this appeal was instituted by an application filed by the 1st Respondent on 15/12/2023. At the trial Court, the 1st Respondent sought an interim order for forfeiture of the sum of N1,582,000,000.00 which the Appellant claimed was alleged in the title of its application as suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities traced to ALIYU ABBATI ABDULHAMEED, the Appellant herein, the 2nd Respondent, and others.
The Appellant stated that while reading through the Daily Trust Newspaper dated 20/2/20…