Supreme Court Sends Ex Senator To Jail Over ₦204m Fraud

Supreme Court Sends Ex Senator To Jail Over ₦204m Fraud
₦204m restitution to Akwa Ibom restored
Apex court overturns part of Appeal Court ruling

The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Friday, February 27, 2026, affirmed the conviction and seven year prison sentence imposed on Senator Albert Bassey and ordered the restoration of ₦204 million in restitution to Akwa Ibom State.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the ruling followed an appeal filed by Bassey challenging earlier judgments of the trial court and the Court of Appeal. In a statement issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the apex court’s decision was delivered by Justice Stephen Jonah Adah on behalf of a five member panel.

According to the judgment, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction and sentencing handed down by the lower court on June 23, 2023. However, it faulted the Court of Appeal for setting aside the restitution order earlier granted by the trial court.

“The order of this court is that the conviction and sentencing imposed by the lower court on the 23 day of June 2023 on the appellant is hereby affirmed but the order of the lower court avoiding the order of restitution given by the trial court did not follow the law, so it is revised and the right order is to nullify same and thereby the restitution of sum of N204 million made by the trial court is restored,” Justice Adah ruled.

Bassey was prosecuted by the EFCC before Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, over allegations that he received 12 vehicles valued at ₦254 million as bribes while serving as Commissioner for Finance in the state.

He was convicted on seven counts and sentenced to seven years imprisonment on each count. Although the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction with an option of fine, the Supreme Court struck out parts of that judgment and reinstated the restitution order.