Nigeria’s Supreme Court has turned down a request by family members of late military dictator, Sani Abacha, to have stolen public funds hidden in banks in United Kingdom, Switzerland, Jersey, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg released to them.
Family members of Abacha had filed a suit on January 28, 2004, marked: FHC/KN/CS/6/2004, at a federal high court in Kano, contesting the move by the Nigerian Government to order the funds to be frozen.
The case went on until it got to the apex court, which has now decided on the matter.
In a ruling delivered by Amina Augie, the Supreme Court upheld the verdict of the two lower courts on the matter, striking out the prayers of the Abacha family.
The judge said, “In all forms, with the eloquent submission of the respondents’ counsel, and submissions anchored on the admitted evidence, I have no hesitation in affirming the concurrent decisions of the lower courts.
“Accordingly, I hereby enter an order dismissing this appeal. I further affirm the concurrent findings and decisions of the lower courts. Appeal dismissed.”
