The NBA Anti-Corruption Committee has applauded the announcement by Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the Attorney-General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, of the launching of a probe into the “messy property controversy in the United Kingdom” arising from a decision of Judge Ewan Paton in the first-tier tribunal property chamber land registration of the UK.
In question is “Case Number: REF/2023/0155, BETWEEN: Tali Shani (Applicant) v. Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome (Respondent) over 79, Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX.”
In a statement by its chairman, Prof. Babafemi A. Badejo, the NBA Anti-Corruption Committee, declared that the case raised several improprieties that required investigations on the authenticity of the judgement that had been widely circulated, as well as an investigation of the actions of the legal practitioners on the roll of the Supreme Court of Nigeria who were mentioned in the said proceedings.
“It is hoped that after investigations the relevant Legal Practitioners would be promptly referred to the LPDC,” the committee said.
It said investigations into the processes that resulted in the alleged procurement of fake NIN, fraudulent presentation of an MTN number, fake ECOWAS passport, etc., “all aimed at the failed creations of fake male and female persons claiming to be Tali Shani, should lead to the criminal prosecutions of many civil servants who connived with lawyers to tarnish the name of Nigeria.”
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The committee stated further: “Judge Paton concluded that late Lt. General Jeremiah Useni had acquired the property in a shady manner using a name very similar to the one he used in the 1.9 million pounds case that was decided at the Royal Court of Jersey in the case of Attorney-General v. Useni that was decided in 2022. On the basis of the said decision in the UK, we call on the Attorney-General of the Federation to enter Nigeria’s interest in the said property towards the possibility of restitution.”
The committee said it was aware of many highly publicized cases that were swept under the rug in the past, once the search light of the media had been removed.
It said it hoped that such would not be the case this time around.
“The credibility and sustainability of legal sector in Nigeria is at stake,” it warned.
The committee recommended that Dr. George Ekpungu, Esq., Alternate Chairman of the national NBA Anti-Corruption Committee and Mr. Bayo Akinlade, Esq., Chairman, Ikorodu Branch, NBA Anti-Corruption Committee, be added to the investigations being put in place by the Attorney-General of the Federation.
