Group Demands Transparent Management of Recovered Stolen Assets

Alex Enumah in Abuja

In pursuit of social justice in Nigeria, the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) has called for the proper, transparent, and accountable management of recovered stolen resources.The centre made the call during a Right Walk in commemoration of the 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Day, in Abuja.Speaking at the occasion, President of the CSLS, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, observed that Nigerian can leverage on the legacy and enduring moral force of Martin Luther King Jr., in confronting the grave challenges of corruption, insecurity, weak institutions, delayed justice, and deepening inequality.

According to the Law Professor, rather than resorting to violence, despair, or cynicism, Nigerians should pursue the strengthening of the rule of law, reform broken systems, and hold power accountable through peaceful means.While stating that asset recovery must not end at seizure, the senior lawyer urged that, “recovered assets must be professionally managed and transparently deployed for public benefit, because the true owners of those assets are the Nigerian people.“Allowing confiscated assets to decay or disappear is itself a betrayal of justice.

“This is not optional. It is the clear mandate of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA),” he said.Besides, the CSLS called for stiffer sanctions against states of the federation defying the judgement of the Supreme Court which ruled in favour of local government autonomy.To this end, he said the CSLS is demanding for the “full and faithful implementation of the Supreme Court’s decision on local government autonomy, so that the presence of government can be felt in every nook and cranny of our country.”Akinseye-George, who noted that the majority of Nigerians live in rural communities, stressed that they are entitled to peace, security, development, and dignity.

“States that continue to defy the authority of the Supreme Court must face appropriate sanctions. A constitutional democracy cannot survive selective obedience to the law,” he said.The centre in addition called for the speedy and credible trial of high-profile corruption cases, because corruption, according to them, robs citizens of healthcare, education, infrastructure, and opportunity.Besides, Akinseye-George pointed out that justice delayed in corruption cases is not a mere procedural failure but an assault on public confidence, adding that, “When cases drag on endlessly, stolen wealth is deployed to corrupt elections, capture institutions, and purchase political power.

“The dangerous message is sent that corruption pays.”Other demands made on relevant authorities included; the sustenance of the ongoing reform of the judicial appointments process; sustained international collaboration in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism; and urgent action to address the growing crisis of street children, now visibly spreading into the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“We urge the Minister of the FCT to extend his commendable dynamism in infrastructure development to social reform and human development, because true security begins with human dignity,” he said.“At the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to justice-sector reform; capacity building and strengthening justice administration; advocacy for non-violent social transformation; and promotion of transparency and accountability in governance.

“On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we call on leaders and citizens alike to choose dialogue over violence; reform over resignation; justice over impunity; and courage over silence.

“Let us build a Nigeria where the rule of law is not a slogan but a lived reality, and where human rights are advanced without violence, hatred, or fear,” he added.