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By Correspondent in Abuja.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the final forfeiture of a United Kingdom property linked to the late former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Jeremiah Useni, to the Federal Government.
Justice Binta Nyako, in a ruling, held that the application filed by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) seeking the forfeiture of the property was meritorious and deserved to be granted.
The property, located at No. 79, Randall Avenue, Neasden, London NW2 7SX, was said to have been reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The CCB, through its counsel, Sufyan Ahmad, had approached the court in suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2333/2025, naming the administrators and executors of the estate of the late Useni, alongside the property, as respondents.
Ahmad told the court that the agency relied on provisions of the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022, as well as the 1999 Constitution (as amended), to seek the forfeiture.
He recalled that the court had earlier granted an interim preservation order on November 20, 2025, and directed that same be published in a national newspaper to allow any interested party to contest the forfeiture.
According to him, the order was duly published in a national daily on March 4, but no individual or organisation came forward to claim ownership or challenge the forfeiture.
The lawyer further explained that an earlier delay in hearing the motion was due to difficulties in effecting service on the respondents, prompting the court to approve substituted service through newspaper publication.
In an affidavit deposed to by a CCB investigator, Raji Rasaq, the bureau disclosed that investigations revealed that the late Useni acquired the property under a fictitious identity to conceal ownership.
Rasaq told the court that a judgment of the United Kingdom First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) in suit number REF/2023/0155 had already established that the late minister was the beneficial owner of the property.
He said the tribunal also found that the alias used in acquiring the property was intended to suppress official records and hide the true ownership.
The investigator further stated that a financial analysis conducted by the CCB’s Financial Investigation and Forensic Accounting Unit showed that the declared income of the deceased while in public service could not account for the acquisition of the property.
According to him, the analysis revealed a significant gap in funds, pointing to unexplained wealth and suggesting the likelihood of illicit income.
“That there is substantial unexplained funds gap indicating that the funds used for the acquisition must have come from undisclosed or undeclared sources,” he said.
Rasaq added that the asset declaration records of the deceased confirmed ownership of the property, despite its purchase under a false name.
He urged the court to grant the final forfeiture in the interest of justice, arguing that the property constituted proceeds of unlawful activity.
Justice Nyako, after considering the submissions and evidence presented, granted the application and ordered the final forfeiture of the property to the Federal Government.
The case also drew attention to a dispute over the ownership of the property before the UK tribunal, where conflicting claims were made by parties using the name “Tali Shani.”
The tribunal, however, dismissed all claims after finding that both “Mr” and “Ms” Tali Shani were fictitious persons, thereby reinforcing the conclusion that the property was acquired through concealed ownership.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
