A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of a London property linked to the late Jeremiah Useni to the federal government.
Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Justice Binta Nyako ruled that the case brought by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) was credible and supported by evidence.
The property, located at 79 Randall Avenue in the UK, was said to be reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
The court had earlier granted an interim forfeiture order on November 28, directing the CCB to publish the notice and invite any interested party to prove ownership. However, no individual or organisation came forward to challenge the forfeiture.
Counsel to the CCB told the court that all legal requirements had been met and urged the court to make the order permanent — a request the judge granted.
In an affidavit, a CCB investigator revealed that a UK tribunal had already determined that Useni was the true owner of the property, having acquired it under a fictitious identity.
The investigator said the property was purchased while Useni was in public office, adding that his legitimate earnings could not justify the acquisition.
According to findings based on data from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, there was a significant gap between Useni’s declared income and the value of the property.
“This gap strongly suggests the use of undisclosed or illicit funds,” the affidavit stated.
Background
The ownership of the property had been contested at a UK tribunal involving Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, and parties claiming to be “Tali Shani”.
However, the tribunal found that both “Mr” and “Ms” Tali Shani were fictitious persons, dismissing all claims tied to those identities.
Before his death in January 2025, Useni admitted in a video testimony that he purchased the property in 1993.
Meanwhile, Ozekhome and Useni’s son remain on trial over alleged forgery related to the disputed property.
