Nigerians Challenge N941 Million Forfeiture Order by ICPC

Approximately 70 Nigerians have petitioned the Federal High Court in Abuja to annul a N941 million final forfeiture order issued on July 13, 2026, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). Their lawyer, Abbas Ochogwu, filed the motion on notice on July 16, 2026, citing an alleged error involving their bank accounts in a fraud investigation linked to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) initiated by the ICPC in 2024.

The applicants, including Oche Samuel, Kate Nkechinyere, and Itodo Caroline, argue that their accounts were wrongfully associated with unknown individuals named in the forfeiture suit. They contend that they were not given a chance to defend themselves before the court's decision, violating their constitutional right to a fair hearing.

The ICPC, in its response dated July 31, 2026, claimed that the investigation revealed discrepancies between the names on the IPPIS payroll and the account holders, asserting that the applicants had the opportunity to present evidence to support their claims.