The Asset Tracing, Recovery and Management Regulations, 2019 have been declared “an unlawful statutory document” by the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The court also declared the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami, SAN’s asset sales and disposals illegal under the Asset Tracing, Recovery and Management Regulations, 2019.
The Asset Tracing, Recovery and Management Regulations, 2019, were found to be “ultra vires the office and powers” of the AGF, according to the court.
On Monday, May 9, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa issued the order in the case FHC/L/CS/40/2021, which was filed by the plaintiff, Incorporated Trustees of HEDA Resource Centre, against the AGF as the lone defendant.
The AGF established the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Disposition of Assets Forfeited to the Federal Government on November 9, 2020.
According to the minister, the president issued the directive in October 2018 in response to recommendations from the Presidential Audit Committee on the Recovery and Management of Stolen Assets and the necessity for effective asset management.
However, HEDA, through its lawyer, Omotayo Olatubosun, questioned the AGF’s authority to form the committee.
On the issue of final forfeited assets, it claimed that the Regulations were in conflict with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Act, the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administrative Act, 2015, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act, 2004, and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission Act (ICPC), 2000, among others.
The petitioner sought nine reliefs, including the voiding of the AGF’s Committee’s asset dispositions.
The court dismissed the AGF’s preliminary objection, which was presented by Tolu Mokunolu, and granted all of HEDA’s reliefs as requested on the motion documents.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa held: “I am entirely in agreement with the submission of counsels to the plaintiff that the Asset Tracing, Recovery and Management Regulations, 2019 are contrary to the statutory provisions of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC Act, Trafficking in Persons Cohabitation Enforcement and Administration Act, NDLEA Act and Immigration Act.
“A careful perusal of the above statutory provisions will show the provisions for the Attorney-General of the Federation to make regulations for the agencies for disposal of assets under the various enactments listed above.
“The above statutory enactments are therefore the enabling source of the Attorney-General of the Federation to the regulations.
“Consequently, the administrative powers to be exercised by the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation must flow from the enabling statutes.
“It is pertinent to state that the powers of the Attorney-General of the Federation do not override the provisions of the enabling statutes stabilising the powers of the law enforcement agencies and anti-corruption agencies and consequently the powers referred to in the commencement clause of the regulations merely are to be exercised in accordance with the Acts not to usurp the mandatory powers vested in the law enforcement agencies and the anti-corruption agencies.
“I am therefore in agreement with counsel for the plaintiff that the executive orders or any other forms of definition can be issued pursuant to session 315 of the Constitution; however, they are limited to enactments predating the 1999 Constitution.
“The Acts under Consideration in this instant suit were enacted after the 1999 Constitution and do not fall within the ambit of session 315 of the 1999 Constitution.
“In all and for the reasons hereinbefore given in this judgement, the questions put for determination in the originating summons are answered in favour of the plaintiff and all the reliefs sought are granted as prayed. This is the judgment of the court read in the open court”
The Plaintiff’s reliefs granted by the judge include a declaration that by the ICPC Act, the Asset Tracing, Recovery and Management Regulations, 2019 “is an invalid statutory instrument the former having conferred no power arrogated by the Defendant to himself in the latter Regulations;
“An Order nullifying the Asset Tracing, Recovery and Management Regulations, 2019 as an invalid statutory instrument same being in excess of the provisions of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission Act, 2000;
