The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has initiated an investigation into a controversial ruling by a property tribunal in London that has sparked significant concern for Nigeria.
An insider from the AGF’s office has verified the commencement of this inquiry.
The London Tribunal dismissed a claim brought by an individual named Tali Shani, who contested Chief Ozekhome’s attempt to register ownership of a property allegedly gifted to him by the late General Jeremiah Useni, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The tribunal rejected the case on grounds that the claimant, Tali Shani, likely did not exist, and that the submitted documents-including identity papers and a death certificate-were fabricated.
The Nigerian Bar Association’s Anti-Corruption Committee has expressed keen interest in the investigation and offered its full cooperation.
Barrister Babafemi Badejo, representing the committee and its local branches, welcomed the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, for launching the probe into the “complex property dispute in the UK” stemming from Judge Ewan Paton’s ruling.
The NBA’s anti-corruption panel emphasized, “This matter exposes multiple irregularities that warrant a thorough review of the judgment’s legitimacy, which has gained widespread attention, as well as scrutiny of the conduct of the legal practitioners involved, including those linked to the Supreme Court of Nigeria mentioned in the proceedings.”
They further stated, “It is anticipated that following the investigation, implicated legal professionals will be referred to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC). The inquiry should also extend to the processes behind the alleged creation of counterfeit National Identification Numbers (NIN), fraudulent use of MTN phone numbers, and forged ECOWAS passports-all tactics used to fabricate fictitious identities claiming to be Tali Shani. This should culminate in criminal charges against public officials who colluded with lawyers to tarnish Nigeria’s reputation.”
Judge Paton’s decision highlighted that the late Lt. General Jeremiah Useni acquired the property under questionable circumstances, using a name closely resembling one involved in a separate £1.9 million case adjudicated at the Royal Court of Jersey in 2022 (Attorney-General v. Useni).
In light of the UK ruling, the NBA Anti-Corruption Committee urges the Attorney-General to assert Nigeria’s stake in the property and explore avenues for restitution. The committee is mindful of numerous high-profile cases that have been quietly dismissed once media attention waned, and hopes this investigation will not suffer the same fate. The integrity and future of Nigeria’s legal profession are at risk.
LEADERSHIP exclusively reported that the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) declined involvement in the London Property Tribunal’s judgment, which dismissed the claim by Human Rights Activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome, to register a property allegedly gifted by General Jeremiah Useni.
The dispute over ownership of the property at 79 Randall Avenue, London, began when Chief Ozekhome sought to register a transfer dated August 2021 from “Tali Shani,” who purportedly executed the deed.
Before the registration was finalized, the individual claiming to be Tali Shani appeared before the Tribunal to deny authorizing the transfer, asserting she was unaware of the transaction and had not signed any documents.
Consequently, the Land Registry referred Chief Ozekhome’s application to the Tribunal on February 27, 2023, for resolution.
Chief Ozekhome, representing himself after his legal counsel withdrew, maintained that the property transfer was legitimate and that Tali Shani was a fictitious identity fabricated by an unknown party to fraudulently seize the property.
He explained that the property was gifted to him in recognition of legal services rendered to the late General Useni and denied any monetary exchange related to the transfer.
General Useni testified via video link, stating he purchased the property in 1993 with personal savings as a family residence and denied any association with a “Tali Shani” as an owner, noting he only met a man by that name several years ago, unrelated to the property.
After careful review, the Tribunal dismissed the applicant’s case due to its fraudulent basis and refused to approve the transfer to Chief Ozekhome.
The Tribunal found Tali Shani’s claims about purchasing the property at age 20 unconvincing, especially given conflicting purchase documents listing a “Philips Bincan” as the buyer for £110,000, contradicting Shani’s narrative.
Moreover, General Useni’s testimony directly contradicted Shani’s assertions regarding their relationship and property ownership.
The Tribunal concluded that the evidence strongly supported General Useni as the legitimate owner, with his testimony deemed credible despite his advanced age and health.
Ultimately, the Tribunal ruled that neither party sufficiently proved their claims, determining that both Tali Shani and the alleged purchaser were not who they purported to be, and affirmed General Jeremiah Useni as the rightful owner of the property.
Accordingly, the Tribunal instructed the Chief Land Registrar to reject the application for transfer of ownership.
