ABUJA: The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of a United Kingdom property linked to the late former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lt.-Gen. Jeremiah Useni, to the Federal Government.
Justice Binta Nyako, in a ruling on Tuesday, granted the application filed by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), describing it as meritorious.
The property is located at No. 79, Randall Avenue, Neasden, London NW2 7SX.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2333/2025, the CCB listed the administrators and executors of Useni’s estate, alongside the property, as respondents.
Counsel to the CCB, Mr Sufyan Ahmad, told the court that the property was reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
He argued that the court had both inherent and statutory powers under the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act 2022 and the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to grant the application.
Ahmad recalled that the court had earlier granted an interim preservation order on November 20, 2025, and directed that the order be published to allow interested parties to contest the forfeiture.
He said the order was duly published in a national newspaper on March 4, but no individual or organisation came forward to claim ownership or challenge the forfeiture.
The application for final forfeiture was initially stalled on January 26 due to difficulties in serving court processes on the respondents, prompting the CCB to secure an order for substituted service through publication.
In an affidavit deposed to by a CCB investigator, Mr Raji Rasaq, it was stated that a UK First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), in suit REF/2023/0155, had confirmed that Useni was the true owner of the property, which was purchased under a fictitious name.
The tribunal further held that the alias was used to conceal the identity of the beneficial owner.
Rasaq disclosed that a financial analysis conducted by the CCB’s Financial Investigation and Forensic Accounting Unit (FIFAU), based on remuneration data from the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), showed that the deceased’s legitimate income was insufficient to fund the acquisition.
He noted that the findings revealed a significant gap indicative of unexplained wealth and possible illicit financial activity.
According to him, although the property was acquired under a false identity, Useni declared it in his asset declaration form.
He maintained that there were reasonable grounds to conclude that the property constituted proceeds of unlawful activity and urged the court to grant the forfeiture in the interest of justice.
The case also involved a dispute over ownership claims by individuals identified as “Mr” and “Ms” Tali Shani, as well as Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome.
While Ozekhome claimed he received the property as a gift in 2021, another claimant insisted on ownership.
However, the UK tribunal dismissed all claims after finding that the identities presented were fictitious and that supporting documents tendered were fake.
