The case stemmed from an earlier order by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, who had granted an interim forfeiture of the shares and directed their publication in a national newspaper, calling on any interested parties to show cause why they should not be permanently forfeited.
The Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the final forfeiture of shares worth N246.3 million linked to a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), Major-General U.M. Mohammed (Retd.), after it was revealed they were acquired to conceal proceeds of unlawful activities.
Justice Dehinde Dipeolu delivered the ruling on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, following a motion on notice filed by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), through its counsel, H.U. Kofarnaisa.
The case stemmed from an earlier order by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, who had granted an interim forfeiture of the shares and directed their publication in a national newspaper, calling on any interested parties to show cause why they should not be permanently forfeited.
“Moving the application for the final forfeiture, Kofarnaisa told the court that the application was supported by an affidavit deposed to by Nwike Fortune, an investigating officer of the EFCC,” the anti-graft agency stated.
In the affidavit, Nwike explained that he investigated a petition from NAPL “regarding monumental fraud perpetrated by General U.M. Mohammed (Retd), Mr. Yusuf Abdullahi Abubakar, and Mr. Kayode Oladipupo Filani”, revealing that “investigation revealed that Mohammed, while serving as NAPL’s Managing Director between 2015 and 2020, fraudulently sold company properties and diverted the proceeds for personal use.”
“In a bid to conceal proceeds of unlawful activities, he acquired shares in Awhua Resources Limited using misappropriated funds,” Nwike said.
“Some of the shares include: National Aviation Handling Company (N115,567,906); Oando Plc (N2,000,000); Dangote Sugar Refinery (N1,000,000); Vitafoam Nigeria Plc (N81,901,651) and University Press (N40,155,291).”
“It is in the interest of justice to finally forfeit the said shares contained in Schedules A, B, and C of this application, as they were acquired with funds that are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities,” the EFCC said.
Justice Dipeolu, after reviewing the evidence and submissions, ruled that the prosecution’s case had merit and ordered the final forfeiture of the shares to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Background
In June 2024, SaharaReporters exclusively reported that Nigerian Army authorities had finally issued a warrant to commit Mohammed to prison.
Mohammed’s warrant of committal to prison came a week after he was illegally put in Kuje Prison.
A top military source told SaharaReporters that Mohammed “was taken to Kuje without a proper warrant from the military tribunal that jailed him”.
“He has been kept in detention since January 2022 and was taken to Kuje Prison on May 2, 2024,” the source added.
According to the source, the military managed to “find the illegal warrant after Mohammed had spent a week in Kuje Prison”.
In October 2023, Mohammed, who was court-martialed for fraud and found guilty of stealing over $430,000, was sentenced to seven years in prison.
The Special Court Martial set up by the Nigerian Army also ordered Mohammed to return the sum of $2,178,900 and N1.65 billion to the Army properties and NAPL.
The Special Court-Martial had found the military officer guilty of 14 out of 18 counts brought against him, which included stealing, forgery, conspiracy, theft, and unauthorised diversion of army property.
In May 2023, SaharaReporters exclusively reported that Mohammed was being court-martialed in Abuja for allegations involving fraud and theft.
Sources, however, told SaharaReporters that Mohammed had opened up a can of worms as the senior military officer narrated how former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.) allowed the sale of houses by the NAPL to politicians and Very Important Personalities (VIPs) at a ridiculous 75 per cent discount.
COURTESY: saharareporters
