...the ICPC alleges that Mr Ozekhome knowingly relied on the purportedly forged passport, presenting it as genuine to support his ownership claim,
ABUJA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has instituted criminal proceedings against renowned constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, accusing him of acquiring property through corrupt practices and deploying forged documents to support ownership claims.
The charges, filed on January 16 by Ngozi Onwuka of the ICPC’s High Profile Prosecution Department, stem from a far-reaching investigation triggered by a September 2025 ruling of a United Kingdom property tribunal. That judgment reportedly implicated the 68-year-old lawyer in a web of fraud and document forgery connected to a disputed residential property in North London.
Certified court records indicate that Mr Ozekhome is facing a three-count charge before the Nigerian court.
According to the first count, the senior lawyer allegedly received a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London, sometime in August 2021. The ICPC contends that the house was transferred to him by an individual identified as Shani Tali under circumstances that amount to a criminal offence under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The second count accuses Mr Ozekhome of fabricating a Nigerian passport bearing the number A07535463 in the name of Shani Tali. Prosecutors allege that the document was created with the intention of backing a claim of ownership over the London property. This allegation is brought under provisions of the Penal Code applicable in the Federal Capital Territory.
In the third count, the ICPC alleges that Mr Ozekhome knowingly relied on the purportedly forged passport, presenting it as genuine to support his ownership claim, despite having reasons to doubt its authenticity.
The charges follow a landmark decision delivered on September 11, 2025, by Judge Ewan Paton of the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) in London. In that ruling, the tribunal rejected Mr Ozekhome’s bid to take control of the North London house, concluding that the case was underpinned by impersonation, forged documents, and deliberate deception.
The tribunal determined that the property had been legitimately purchased in 1993 by the late Jeremiah Useni, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and therefore remained part of his estate.
Mr Ozekhome had approached the UK tribunal in August 2021, seeking to have the property transferred into his name. He claimed it had been gifted to him by a man identified as Tali Shani, allegedly in appreciation for legal services rendered.
However, the application was challenged in September 2022 by Westfields Solicitors, acting on behalf of a woman also identified as “Ms Tali Shani,” who asserted that she had been the registered owner of the property since 1993 and had never executed any transfer documents.
During proceedings, the London tribunal uncovered extensive irregularities in Nigerian identity records used to support the claim. These included a Nigerian passport, a National Identification Number (NIN), and a Tax Identification Number (TIN), which were found to have been fraudulently generated, allegedly with the assistance of compromised officials in key Nigerian agencies.
Evidence presented showed that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) admitted the NIN assigned to “Ms Tali Shani” was unlawfully created remotely from Monaco, bypassing mandatory biometric verification and using a forged photograph. The Nigeria Police Force also confirmed that the address cited to support a utility bill used in the case did not exist.
Judge Paton concluded that the supposed Ms Shani was fictitious and that the documents bearing her identity were deliberately fabricated. He described the case as being “built entirely on forgery and deception,” ruling that the property should remain part of Mr Useni’s estate, pending probate.
Further correspondence from the Nigeria Immigration Service to the ICPC revealed that the passport booklet bearing number A07535463 was never officially issued to any individual. The agency explained that the booklet was defective and unused, adding that data had been unlawfully superimposed on it, with multiple inconsistencies suggesting serious irregularities in its production.
The ICPC investigation was initiated following a petition submitted by Olanrewaju Suraj, chairman of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA). The petition accused Mr Ozekhome, his son Osilama, and other collaborators of conspiring with corrupt public officials to fabricate national identity documents to unlawfully claim the London property.
According to the petition, the alleged actions not only amounted to corruption but also severely undermined the credibility of Nigeria’s identity management systems.
As part of its investigation, the ICPC summoned individuals named in the UK tribunal’s judgment. Mr Ozekhome appeared before the commission on January 12, where he provided a written statement.
In his response, the lawyer acknowledged awareness of the UK tribunal’s decision. He stated that the judgment arose from objections to his application to transfer ownership of the London property and noted that the issues surrounding the property had already been presented to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where investigations had been ongoing for months.
Mr Ozekhome further maintained that he had possessed the property since 2021 and asserted that all relevant evidence concerning his dealings with Mr Shani was already contained in the UK judgment.
During the UK proceedings, Mr Ozekhome admitted that he only met Mr Shani in 2019 and had no personal knowledge of how the property was acquired or managed prior to that time. He said his confidence in the claim was influenced by his long professional relationship with the late Mr Useni.
However, Mr Useni, who died in France in January 2025, appeared before the tribunal via video link in 2024 and unequivocally stated that he personally purchased and owned the property. Tribunal documents showed the house was bought under a false identity, “Philips Bincan,” consistent with findings in a 2022 Jersey court case that exposed Mr Useni’s use of coded aliases to conceal assets.
The tribunal ruled that since Mr Shani had no legal title, he lacked the authority to transfer the property to Mr Ozekhome. It described the defence presented by Mr Ozekhome and his son as a contrived narrative intended to legitimise the disputed transfer.
At the Federal High Court in Abuja, the ICPC listed six witnesses, including investigators and a representative of the Nigeria Immigration Service, while reserving the right to call additional witnesses.
Meanwhile, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, has confirmed that his office is reviewing the case, describing the UK judgment as troubling for the integrity of Nigeria’s legal profession. The Nigerian Bar Association and its anti-corruption committee have also called for thorough investigations and accountability.
The Code of Conduct Bureau is reportedly conducting a parallel probe and has obtained a forfeiture order over the London property from a Nigerian court.
