A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of a London property owned by the late Jeremiah Useni, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to the Federal Government.
Justice Binta Nyako delivered the ruling on Tuesday, deeming the suit by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) meritorious. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2333/2025, targeted the property at No. 79, Randall Avenue, Neasden, London NW2 7SX, suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
CCB counsel Sufyan Ahmad informed the court that an interim forfeiture order, granted on November 28, had been published in a national newspaper as directed. No individual, corporate body, or authority challenged the order within the 14-day period, paving the way for the final ruling.
Key Evidence from CCB Investigation
CCB investigator Raji Rasaq, in a supporting affidavit, revealed:
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A UK tribunal (REF/2023/0155) confirmed Useni as the true owner, acquired under a fictitious name while in public office.
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Remuneration data from the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) showed Useni’s declared income insufficient for the purchase.
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Forensic analysis by the CCB’s Financial Investigation and Forensic Accounting Unit (FIFAU) identified a “substantial unexplained funds gap,” pointing to illicit sources.
Rasaq stressed this gap as a “strong circumstantial indicator of potential fraud, unreported income, or illicit wealth accumulation.”
Background of UK Tribunal Dispute
The property sparked a UK First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) case involving claims by “Ms Tali Shani” and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mike Ozekhome. Ozekhome claimed it as a 2021 gift from “Mr Tali Shani,” who testified as Useni’s property manager since 1993.
Ms Shani’s side presented documents like an obituary, NIN card, ECOWAS passport, and phone records, but the tribunal ruled them fake, declaring neither “Tali Shani” existed. Useni, in June 2024 video testimony before his January 2025 death, admitted buying the property in 1993 with his own funds.
Ozekhome and Ponfa Useni, the late minister’s son, face a separate 12-count forgery trial.
This forfeiture underscores ongoing anti-corruption efforts targeting undeclared assets of public officials.
