Nigeria Withdraws Forgery Charges Against Mike Ozekhome

The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama struck out forgery charges against prominent Nigerian lawyer Mike Ozekhome. The charges, initially filed by the Nigeria===Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, were withdrawn by the Office of the Nigeria===Attorney-General of the Federation, which cited a need for further review and consolidation of evidence. Ozekhome was accused of presenting forged documents, including a Nigerian international passport, to claim ownership of a London property during proceedings before a UK tribunal. The tribunal ultimately ruled that neither 'Mr' nor 'Ms Tali Shani', the names used in the dispute, existed, and identified the late Lieutenant-General Jeremiah Useni as the true owner of the property, having acquired it under a false identity. The court's decision effectively clears Ozekhome for now, but the Attorney-General's office may refile the case after completing its review.