The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed criminal charges against Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and constitutional lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, in connection with an ongoing dispute over ownership of a residential property in London.
According to court documents sighted by reporters, the three-count charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/010/26, was filed before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja. The charges border on allegations of fraud, forgery, and the alleged use of falsified documents in support of a property ownership claim.
The property in question is located at 79 Randall Avenue, NW2 7SX, North London, and is linked to the estate of the late Lt. Gen. Jeremiah Useni, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory who died in January 2025.
Details of the Charges
The ICPC alleges that Ozekhome:
Corruptly received the London property as a purported “gift” in a transaction the commission describes as fraudulent;
Made or caused to be made a Nigerian international passport bearing the name “Mr. Shani Tali” with passport number A07535463, which the prosecution claims was not validly issued;
Used the said passport as supporting evidence in proceedings before a United Kingdom tribunal to advance a claim of ownership over the property.
As part of its case, the ICPC is expected to rely on evidence from the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), which reportedly informed investigators that no official record exists for the passport allegedly used and that the document showed signs of irregularities.
Background: UK Tribunal Proceedings
The charges follow findings made in a 2025 judgment of a UK First-tier Tribunal, which examined competing claims over the London property.
During those proceedings, it was revealed that the late Gen. Useni allegedly purchased the house in 1993 using a different name. In 2021, Ozekhome claimed before the tribunal that the property had been transferred to him by an individual identified as “Mr. Tali Shani” in settlement of legal fees.
A counterclaim was later introduced by another claimant purporting to be related to the same identity. However, the tribunal ruled that the ownership claims were unsupported, finding that the property belonged to the estate of the late general.
The UK tribunal ultimately declined Ozekhome’s claim and affirmed the estate’s interest in the property.
Next Legal Steps
Ozekhome has not yet been arraigned as of the time of filing this report. The ICPC is expected to call witnesses, including its investigators and officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service, when the matter comes up for hearing.
Under Nigerian law, the charges remain allegations until proven in court. Ozekhome is entitled to the presumption of innocence and has not publicly responded to the charges at the time of this report.
The case is being closely watched due to Ozekhome’s prominence in Nigeria’s legal community and its wider implications for cross-border asset disputes and public office accountability
