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Alleged UK property fraud: ICPC files criminal charge against Ozekhome

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed a criminal charge against Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, over allegations bordering on fraud in relation to a London property.

The ICPC, in a three-count charge filed by its lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, Head, High Profile Prosecution Department, at the Abuja High Court, accused Ozekhome of complicity in the large-scale corruption case.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fresh charge, marked: FCT/HC/CR/010/26 dated and filed Jan. 16, named the senior lawyer as sole defendant.

The charge was sighted on Sunday.

Count one alleged that Ozekhome, 68 years, of No. 53, Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, sometime in August 2021 or thereabout in London, within the jurisdiction of the court, directly received House 79, Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, purportedly given to him by one Mr Shani Tali.

The act he knew constitutes a felony and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 13 and punishable under Section 24 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences, Act, 2000.

In count two, Ozekhome was alleged to have, sometime in August 2021 or thereabout, while being a legal practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria did make a false document with a Nigeria passport: A07535463, bearing the name of Mr Shani Tali.

The commission alleged that the senior lawyer did this with plan to use same to support claim of ownership of property known and described as “79, Randall Avenue, London NW2 78X with intent to commit fraud.”

It said the offence is contrary to Section 363 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code CAP 532 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, 2006.

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Count three accused Ozekhome of dishonestly used as genuine, a false “Nigeria passport A07535463, bearing the name of Mr Shani Tali to support claim of ownership of property known and described as ’79, Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX,’ when he had reason to believe that the said document was false.

The ICPC said the offence is contrary to Section 366 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code CAP 532 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, 2006.

In support of the charge are the list of exhibits which include a case number: REF/2023/0155 (judgment) dated Sept. 11, 2025; extra-judicial statement of the defendant dated Jan. 12, 2026.

Others are interim forfeiture proceeding in respect of House 79, Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX at the Federal High Court; a letter dated Dec. 18, 2025; a data page of Shani Tali and any other relevant documents being awaited relating to the case.

The anti-corruption commission, in its proof of evidence, listed the witnesses to testify against the defendant, including Mr Wakili Musa and Mr Tosin Olayiwola, who are both investigators with ICPC.

Besides, a representative of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), whose name was not mentioned in the proof of evidence, is also expected to give evidence to establish the case against the senior lawyer.

Others are Mr Ebenezer Nduo and Mr Blessing Monokpo who are also investigators with the ICPC, and any other vital witness by way of subpoena or filing additional list of witnesses.

As at the time of filing the report, the case is yet to be assigned to a judge.

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NAN recalls that ICPC had opened an investigation into the prominent Nigerian lawyer, Ozekhome, following a damning judgment of a London property tribunal that linked him and others to a web of fraud and forged documents.

The commission’s probe was triggered by a petition from Olanrewaju Suraj, head of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA).

The petition had referenced the British court judgment and accused Ozekhome and several others of conspiring with corrupt Nigerian officials to procure fake national identity documents in a bid to “fraudulently claim ownership” of the North London house.(NAN)

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Crime

EFCC arraigns businessman for allegedly defrauding investors of £122,000

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A businessman, Ashley Segun Oshin, has been arriagned before the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja over an alleged £122,000 investment fraud.

Oshin was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday, November 12, before Justice Ismail Ijelu on a one-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

The EFCC prosecution counsel, M.S. Owede, told the court that the charge was filed on June 29, 2026, and urged the judge to allow the defendant to take his plea.

The EFCC alleged that Oshin induced two individuals, Miss Oluwafemi Fajana and Mr Abiodun Adeogun, to part with £122,000 between 2009 and 2010 under the pretext of investing the money in a debenture fund operated by Oschards Limited.

According to the charge, the defendant allegedly promised the investors an annual return of 40 per cent, a representation the commission said he knew to be false.

Oshin pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him.

Following his plea, Owede requested a trial date and an order remanding the defendant in a correctional centre pending the determination of the case.

The prosecutor also sought time to respond to the defendant’s bail application, explaining that the EFCC detention facility was already full and had no available space.

However, defence counsel, Samuel Umoren, informed the court that he had filed a bail application dated November 10, 2026, which had been served on the prosecution.

He urged the court to hear the application and sought an early date for its determination.

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He also requested that his client be remanded in EFCC custody.

The judge ordered that Oshin be remanded in a correctional centre pending further proceedings.

Justice Ijelu subsequently adjourned the case until November 18, 2026, for trial and hearing of the pending bail application.

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Crime

PHOTOS: Police arrest suspected thief, recover 222 phones, 29 power banks, accessories and other stolen goods in Kano

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he Kano State Police Command has arrested a suspected thief and recovered 222 phones and other stolen goods.

The spokesperson for the command, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.

According to Kiyawa, the suspected thief identified as Abba Abubakar, broke into shops at City Centre Plaza, Farm Centre GSM Market in Kano, stole 222 phones, a laptop, 29 power banks, accessories and other goods.

Kiyawa said the incident was reported on November 7 by the plaza’s Chief Security Officer, Mohd Rabo, who informed the police that four shops had been burgled.

Following the report, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Farm Centre Division mobilised detectives to the market in collaboration with the security personnel.

In reaching the scene, the suspect was sighted loitering inside the Plaza with an iron saw and a screwdriver in his possession.

“On 7th November, 2026, at about 0715hrs, one Mohd Rabo, the Chief Security Officer of City Centre Plaza, reported at Farm Centre Division that on the same date at about 0400hrs, about four shops were discovered broken into at the Plaza,” the statement read.

“Upon receipt of the report, the Divisional Police Officer, Farm Centre Division, immediately mobilised detectives to the scene in collaboration with the market security.

“On reaching the market, one Abba Abubakar, ‘M’, aged 27 years, of Gama ‘A’, Brigade Quarters, Kano, was sighted loitering inside the Plaza with an iron saw and a screwdriver in his possession.

“After questioning, he could not give a satisfactory account of himself. He was arrested and brought to the station.

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“During the course of investigation, the suspect confessed to having broken into the said four shops and carted away the following items, all of which have been recovered: one (1) Lenovo Laptop, one (1) Samsung Tablet, ninety-five (95) pieces of keypad phones, one hundred and twenty-seven (127) pieces of Android phones, one (1) sound system, one (1) inverter, seventeen (17) used Android screens, one (1) solar controller, twenty-nine (29) pieces of power banks, fifteen (15) wireless ear pods, one hundred and thirty (130) varieties of phone accessories and cash, sum of three hundred and fifty thousand naira (N350,000:00).”

The Commissioner of Police, Kano State Police Command, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, commended the swift response, professionalism and dedication of the Police Officers of Farm Centre Division for the arrest and recovery.

He noted that the success is a clear demonstration of prompt response to distress calls and effective collaboration with market security and members of the public.

The Commissioner of Police reiterates that the operation is in line with the policing vision of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, which emphasises intelligence-led policing, prompt response to crime, community partnership, professionalism and respect for human rights.

The Command said the case will be charged to court upon completion of investigation.

The Commissioner of Police assured traders, shop owners and residents of Kano State of the Command’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and security of lives and property, and urges the public to continue to support the Police with timely and credible information.

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Pakistan arrests 20 Nigerian nationals in major drug trafficking crackdown

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Pakistani authorities have arrested 20 Nigerian nationals in a major anti-narcotics operation in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, November 12, 2026, adding that officials seized more than 4 kilograms of narcotics during the operation.

The coordinated operation was conducted at various locations across the twin cities on the basis of intelligence reports.

It came amid an ongoing nationwide campaign against drug trafficking.

Preliminary investigations revealed that two of the arrested Nigerian nationals were already on bail in a previous narcotics case.

“The arrested suspects were associated with an organized drug trafficking network allegedly involved in the smuggling, distribution and sale of cocaine, ice, and weed among youth, particularly students of educational institutions in Islamabad and Rawalpindi,” the ANF said.

“The recovered drugs comprised 1.682 kg cocaine, 2 kg of methamphetamine (Ice) and 750 grams weed.”

The agency said it has been closely monitoring the activities of the drug traffickers and acted on actionable intelligence.

“ANF has expanded the scope of its investigations to identify potential facilitators, sources of narcotics supply, financial supporters, local contacts and possible connections with other drug trafficking organizations,” it said.

In Sept., the United States credited the ANF with helping seize 463 kilograms of Afghan-origin crystal methamphetamine worth $21 million that was bound for Sri Lanka. The seizure took place on August 30.

Sri Lankan authorities previously said the drugs were discovered concealed in bath towels inside a shipping container at Colombo port. Earlier accounts focused on intelligence supplied by the US Drug Enforcement Administration and the interception by Sri Lankan police and customs authorities.

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The US statement said Pakistan’s ANF coordinated with the American agency on the operation.

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