NIS Disowns Passport Submitted By Ozekhome In London Property Dispute

The Nigeria Immigration Service has officially rejected a passport submitted by senior advocate Mike Ozekhome in a London property dispute tied to the estate of the late former FCT Minister, General Jeremiah Useni.

A senior NIS official made the disclosure on Thursday during ongoing trial proceedings at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, where Ozekhome (SAN) and Ponfa Useni are facing multiple charges of forgery, impersonation, and conspiracy.

Testifying as the first prosecution witness, Aridegbe Akim, Principal Staff Officer to the Comptroller General of Immigration, told the court that the passport, bearing number A07535463 and issued in the name of Tali Shani, has no record whatsoever in the NIS database.

Akim explained that the service operates a complete electronic system that logs every passport from application through to issuance, including biometric data and the holder’s National Identification Number (NIN).

“But, on inserting the name of Tali Shani, no record was found,” he said.

Under cross examination by defence lawyers Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) and F. R. Onoja (SAN), Akim further clarified that the NIS platform is designed to pull up the full history and profile of any passport instantly once basic details are entered. He outlined the multi layered passport issuance process from payment and breeder document generation to biometric capture, production, and final release, none of which exist for the disputed document.

Although the witness conceded that the passport visually resembles genuine Nigerian passports, he stressed that every authentic document carries a unique number linked to verifiable records in the system. Nigerian passports, he added, are machine readable and contain specific security features tied to manufacturer generated identification numbers.

The case revolves around allegations that Ozekhome and Useni forged key documents including the said international passport and an irrevocable power of attorney to press a claim over a property located at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom.

The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation has preferred a 12 count charge against the duo. The accusations include creating a fake passport in the name of a fictitious person, Tali Shani, to support the property claim, personation, abetment of personation, cheating by personation, and unlawful possession of suspected proceeds of crime.

After Akim concluded his testimony, lead prosecuting counsel A. R. Tahir asked for an adjournment to call the next witness. The defence raised no objection.

Justice Chizoba Oji adjourned the matter to May 18, 2026, for continuation of trial.