By Obinna Uballa
A federal high court in Abuja has fixed January 26 to rule on the final forfeiture of a London property linked to the late Jeremiah Useni, former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, after no claimant emerged within the time prescribed by law to challenge the move.
The court took the step following the expiration of the statutory 14-day period during which any person or representative of Useni’s estate was expected to show cause why the property should not be forfeited to the federal government. No appearance or objection was recorded within the period.
The forfeiture proceedings arose from an ex parte application filed in late 2025 by the Code of Conduct Bureau, which sought interim forfeiture and preservation of the property on the grounds that it was allegedly acquired with proceeds of unlawful activity. On November 28, Justice Binta Nyako granted the interim order and directed the bureau to advertise it in a national newspaper, inviting anyone with an interest in the property to come forward and prove lawful ownership.
The property, located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, has been the subject of a protracted ownership dispute involving Mike Ozekhome, a senior advocate of Nigeria, and the late Useni, a retired lieutenant-general.
The dispute had earlier been heard by the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Land Registration in the United Kingdom under case number REF/2023/0155. Competing claims were made by Ozekhome and a person identified as “Ms Tali Shani”. Ozekhome told the tribunal that he received the property as a gift in 2021 from “Mr Tali Shani”, whom he said had authority over the house.
A witness presented as “Mr Tali Shani” testified in support of Ozekhome, claiming ownership of the property since 1993 and stating that he later appointed Useni as his property manager and business partner before transferring the house to Ozekhome.
On the other side, lawyers representing “Ms Tali Shani” tendered documents including an obituary notice, National Identification Number card, ECOWAS passport and other materials to establish her claim to the property. The tribunal, however, ruled that all the documents were fake.
In its final decision, the tribunal dismissed the entire claims, holding that neither “Mr Tali Shani” nor “Ms Tali Shani” existed.
Meanwhile, the federal government has filed criminal charges against Ozekhome in Nigeria over alleged forgery and use of false documents in connection with the disputed London property. The three-count charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/010/2026, was filed before a federal high court in Abuja by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on behalf of the attorney-general of the federation.
The ICPC alleged that Ozekhome, sometime in August 2021, unlawfully received the London property from a fictitious person, knowing the act constituted a felony. He is also accused of making a false Nigerian passport in the name of “Mr Tali Shani” and using the document to support his claim of ownership of the property, despite allegedly knowing it was forged.
The court is expected to decide on January 26 whether the London property will be finally forfeited to the federal government.
