A BID by the family and associates of the late General Sanni Abacha to recover about $800 million seized by the Nigerian government has failed.
Considered the proceeds of indiscriminate looting of public funds, the funds were initially seized by the General Abdulsalami Abubakar military government which succeeded the Abacha regime in 1999.
The family, along with 19 business concerns owned by the family, had taken their case to the Nigeria Court of Appeal to compel the government to return the seized assets.
The case was an appeal of a previous dismissal by the Federal High Court in Abuja. The Abuja court had dismissed the case for lack of merit.
But Justice Suleiman Galadima delivered the lead judgment recently at the Supreme Court, again throwing out the appeal saying it is incompetent and lacking in merit.
The money was recovered by the government from Muhammed Sani Abacha and nineteen (19) other companies between 1999 and 2000.
The companies are Juinin Finance, Savard International, Venfold Investment, Sulgrave Holdings INC, Raw Materials Development and Trading Co. Ltd., Technical Management Service Ltd, Allied Network Ltd and Blue Rock Properties.
Others are Barven Holdings, Olmar Establishment, Peltora Establishment, Glotar establishment, KRH Capital establishment, Kurita Establishment, Tadil Overseas, Rike Limited, Warnbeck Holdings, Arwood Overseas and Larberidge Trading.