Court Orders Forfeiture of Useni's London Property

On Tuesday, a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Binta Nyako, ordered the final forfeiture of a property located at 79 Randal Avenue, Neasden, London, linked to former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Jeremiah Useni. The court's decision was based on suspicions that the property was acquired through unlawful activities, following a motion filed by the Code of Conduct Bureau.

Justice Nyako noted that no parties had come forward to contest the earlier interim forfeiture order, which had been published in national newspapers, allowing interested parties to show cause against the permanent forfeiture. During the resumed hearing, the Bureau informed the court that no applications had been filed by individuals or entities challenging the interim forfeiture.

The court found that the property was acquired using fictitious identities, with the current owner, identified as Tali Shani, found to be non-existent. The Bureau also submitted that Useni's declared earnings showed significant discrepancies, indicating that the asset was not lawfully acquired.

Senior Advocate Mike Ozekhome claimed the property was a gift from Tali Shani, but the UK tribunal's findings cast doubt on this assertion.