In a bombshell development that’s sending shockwaves across Nigeria’s legal and political circles, the Federal Government through the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has slammed criminal charges against renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome, over allegations of fraud, forgery, and using fake documents to claim a luxury property in London.
The three-count charge (FCT/HC/CR/010/26), filed at the FCT High Court in Abuja, accuses the human rights activist and constitutional lawyer of masterminding a scheme involving a forged Nigerian passport to seize ownership of a North London house at 79 Randall Avenue, NW2 7SX – a property secretly bought in 1993 by the late Lt. Gen. Jeremiah Useni, former FCT Minister under Sani Abacha.
The Explosive Charges:
Corruptly receiving the property as a “gift” in a fraudulent transaction.
Making a false Nigerian passport (No. A07535463) in the name of the mysterious “Mr. Shani Tali”.
Dishonestly using the forged passport to support his ownership claim in a UK tribunal.
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has reportedly confirmed the passport was never issued and shows signs of tampering – no records exist!
The UK Tribunal Bombshell
This scandal exploded after a 2025 UK First-tier Tribunal judgment exposed a massive web of forgery, impersonation, and phantom identities.
Gen. Useni (who died in January 2025) bought the house in 1993 using the fake name “Tali Shani” to hide his ownership.
In 2021, Ozekhome claimed the property was “gifted” to him by a “Mr. Tali Shani” as payment for legal services.
A counter-claim emerged from a supposed “Ms. Tali Shani” – but the UK judge ruled she never existed, and the entire case was “built on forgery and deception.”
The tribunal blocked Ozekhome’s bid, ruling the property belongs to Useni’s estate. Now, Nigeria’s ICPC is stepping in!
What’s Next?
Ozekhome is yet to be arraigned, but trial witnesses include ICPC investigators and NIS officials.
Source: Nigeria Media