The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), over his alleged involvement in a disputed property case in the United Kingdom, now dubbed the “Tali Shani affair.”
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Ozekhome was arrested shortly after a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court struck out a forgery charge filed against him on Tuesday.
He is expected to be charged to court any moment from now.
The arrest is understood to be different from the fresh 12-count charge filed by the federal government on the same issue on Tuesday.
The controversy centres on a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX.
Named in the property dispute are Ozekhome and Jeremiah Useni, a retired Lieutenant-General who is now deceased.
The case was filed at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Land Registration, UK, under case number REF/2023/0155, with Tali Shani as the applicant and Ozekhome as the respondent.
The property had been claimed by one “Ms Tali Shani” on one hand and Ozekhome on the other.
Ozekhome said he received the house as a gift from “Mr Tali Shani” in 2021, while lawyers for “Ms Shani” insisted she was the rightful owner.
A witness known as “Mr Tali Shani” had testified in favour of Ozekhome, claiming that he had “Powers of Attorney” over the property and had transferred the property to the respondent (Ozekhome).
Mr Tali Shani asserted ownership of the property from 1993 and claimed he later appointed Useni as his property manager, describing Useni as an “elder friend and business partner.”
On the other hand, several documents, including an obituary announcement, NIN card, ECOWAS passport, and phone number, were tendered by witnesses of Ms Tali Shani to claim ownership of the property.
However, the tribunal found all the documents tendered for Ms Tali Shani to be fake.
The tribunal subsequently dismissed all claims, ruling that neither “Mr” nor “Ms” Tali Shani existed.
In the three-count charge filed before the FCT High Court on January 16, the ICPC had accused Ozekhome of knowingly presenting forged documents, including a Nigerian international passport, to support his claim of ownership of the property during proceedings before the London First-Tier Tribunal.
The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation had taken over the case on January 26.
Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, counsel to the AGF, had earlier assured the court that the matter would be prosecuted with “the highest standard of efficiency, effectiveness, diligence and compliance with due process of law.”
But at Tuesday’s resumed hearing, which was slated for Ozekhome’s arraignment, Oyedepo applied to withdraw the charge.
He told the court that the AGF’s office required time to review and consolidate issues involving different investigating agencies in order to strengthen the case.
Consequently, Justice Peter Kekemeke, the presiding judge, struck out the charge.
However, shortly after the case was struck out, Ozekhome was arrested by the EFCC.
The federal government filed a 12-count charge against Ozekhome at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday.
The Office of the Attorney-General also filed fresh criminal charges against Ozekhome, alleging, among other things, that he used a fake Nigerian passport.
In the charge sheet, the federal government said between May 2020 and 2021, Ozekhome, Ponfa Useni, and the late Useni made a “false Nigerian International Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani, and purported same to have been issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service with the intent of using the same to support your claim of a property, lying, being and situate at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom.”
The federal government said the offence contravened the Penal Code Law 2009.
Conspiracy To Use False Passport: The charge alleges that Ozekhome, Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), and the late General Jeremiah Useni conspired in 2022 to use as genuine a false Nigerian International Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani to facilitate their claim to the London property, contrary to Section 96 of the Penal Code Law 2009.
Forgery: The defendants are accused of dishonestly using as genuine a false Nigerian International Passport between 2023 and 2025, contrary to Section 366 of the Penal Code Law 2009.
Personation: Ponfa Useni is accused of falsely personating Tali Shani, a fictitious person, and with such assumed character made a Power of Attorney on May 30, 2020, contrary to Section 179 of the Penal Code Law 2009.
Abetting Personation: Ozekhome is accused of abetting the commission of personation by Ponfa Useni, who with such assumed false character made and executed with Ozekhome as a party, an Irrevocable Power of Attorney dated May 30, 2020, to facilitate the claim to the London property.
Cheating By Personation: Ponfa Useni is accused of cheating by personation when he pretended to be Tali Shani, a fictitious person, and with such assumed character executed an Irrevocable Power of Attorney with Ozekhome, contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Law 2009.
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