Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of a London property linked to the late former FCT Minister, Jeremiah Useni, to the Federal Government.

The judge delivering the ruling on Tuesday held that the case filed by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) was meritorious and supported by credible evidence.

The property, located at No. 79 Randall Avenue, Neasden, London, was said to have been acquired through the proceeds of unlawful activities.

The court had earlier granted an interim forfeiture order on November 28 and directed the CCB to publish a notice inviting interested parties to contest the forfeiture. However, no individual or organisation came forward to lay claim to the property.

Consequently, the court granted the final forfeiture application.

In an affidavit, a CCB investigator, Raji Rasaq, disclosed that a United Kingdom tribunal had already established that Useni was the beneficial owner of the property, having allegedly acquired it under a fictitious identity.

He noted that the property was purchased while the former minister was in public office and that findings pointed to illicit funding.

According to Rasaq, a financial analysis conducted using remuneration data from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) showed that Useni’s legitimate earnings could not have financed the acquisition.

He said the investigation revealed a significant unexplained wealth gap, suggesting the funds used were sourced from undisclosed or unlawful activities.

The property has also been linked to Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, in a separate ownership dispute previously handled by a UK tribunal.

The case, filed before the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Land Registration in the United Kingdom, involved competing claims between Ozekhome and one Tali Shani over the property.