Federal Government to Arraign Mike Ozekhome Over Alleged London Property Fraud

The Federal Government is set to formally arraign Chief Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja on Monday, January 26, 2026. The high-profile case, marked FCT/HC/CR/010/2026, involves allegations of fraud and forgery tied to a disputed property in London, United Kingdom. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is spearheading the prosecution, with the arraignment scheduled for Courtroom 4 in Maitama at 9:00 a.m.

The charges follow a damning September 2025 judgment by the UK First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). The tribunal dismissed Ozekhome’s claim that a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, was gifted to him in August 2021 by a “Mr. Shani Tali” in appreciation for legal services. Judge Ewan Paton ruled that the narrative was a “contrived story” and that both “Mr.” and “Ms.” Shani Tali—fictitious identities—were created to facilitate a fraudulent transfer of the asset, which the court linked to the estate of the late Lieutenant-General Jeremiah Useni.

According to the three-count charge filed on January 16, Ozekhome is accused of receiving the London property knowing it was obtained through a felony, an offense punishable under the Corrupt Practices Act. The second and third counts allege that the senior lawyer forged and dishonestly used a Nigerian international passport (No. A07535463) in the name of the nonexistent Shani Tali to substantiate his ownership claim before the UK tribunal. The ICPC investigation was triggered by a petition from the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), which highlighted findings that Nigerian identity systems were allegedly compromised to create these fake documents.

While Ozekhome has previously denied the allegations, maintaining that his claim was based on a legitimate gift from a client, the Nigerian government has moved to secure witnesses from the Nigeria Immigration Service and other relevant agencies. This legal battle represents a significant intersection of international property disputes and domestic criminal prosecution, especially as a Federal High Court is also expected to rule on the final forfeiture of the same property to the state on the very day of the arraignment.

The hearing notice warned that any requests for adjournment must be made promptly with supporting evidence, signaling the court’s intent to proceed without delay. As the Monday deadline approaches, the legal community and the public are watching closely to see how one of Nigeria’s most prominent constitutional lawyers defends himself against charges of orchestrating a transnational property grab through forgery and deception.