BREAKING: Nigerian Government Charges Mike Ozekhome, SAN, Over Alleged Fraud, Forgery on Late Gen. Useni’s London Property

• Ozekhome fraud charges filed by FG over London property linked to late Gen. Jeremiah Useni
• ICPC alleges passport forgery and use of false documents to claim ownership
• UK tribunal ruling already declared property part of Useni’s estate

The Federal Government has filed criminal charges against Chief Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), over alleged fraud, forgery and the use of falsified documents in connection with a disputed London property belonging to the late General Jeremiah Timbut Useni.

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The case, instituted by the Federal Republic of Nigeria and filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Judicial Division, is marked FCT/HC/CR/010/26.

According to the charge sheet, Ozekhome, 68, is facing three counts bordering on alleged unlawful receipt of property abroad, forgery of a Nigerian passport, and fraudulent use of false documents.

Prosecutors alleged that in August 2021, Ozekhome received a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, said to have been transferred to him by one Shani Tali, an action the government claims violates provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

In a separate count, he is accused of allegedly forging a Nigerian passport in Abuja in the name of Shani Tali and using the document to support a claim of ownership over the London property. The prosecution further alleged that Ozekhome knowingly used the falsified passport as a genuine document, contrary to the Penal Code laws applicable in the FCT.

The charges were signed on January 16, 2026, by senior officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation. The court is yet to fix a date for the commencement of trial.

The charges follow a landmark ruling by the UK First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) in September 2025, which held that the disputed London property belonged to the estate of the late General Useni and dismissed claims by Ozekhome and individuals operating under the name Tali Shani.

The UK tribunal ruled that the identities of “Mr.” and “Ms. Tali Shani” presented during proceedings were fabricated and that the property, originally purchased in 1993, was acquired by General Useni under a false identity. The tribunal struck out Ozekhome’s application and affirmed that the house forms part of Useni’s estate.

The development also aligns with earlier comments by the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who in October 2025 disclosed plans to probe allegations of misconduct involving senior members of the Nigerian Bar, citing the UK judgment in the Useni property case as a key example.

The case has continued to attract widespread attention within Nigeria’s legal and political circles.