Umar Mohammed, former Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), is challenging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over its claim that a Federal High Court in Lagos granted a final forfeiture of shares worth N246 million.
Mohammed’s legal team insists the anti-graft agency misled the public, arguing that the case is still pending before the court and that due process was ignored in securing the controversial order.
On August 26, 2025, the EFCC announced via its official X account that a Federal High Court in Lagos had ordered the final forfeiture of 246,305,544 shares valued at about N5 billion, said to be proceeds of unlawful activities carried out during Mohammed’s tenure at NAPL.
The announcement followed a ruling delivered by Dehinde Dipeolu, the judge.
However, documents obtained from the court and sources familiar with the matter reveal that the case, registered as Suit No: FHC/L/MISC/404/25, had already been adjourned by Chukwujekwu Aneke (Justice) to October 8, 2025.
The adjournment came after Mohammed’s legal representatives, led by Olalekan Ojo, Senior Advocate of Nigeria filed an affidavit on July 29, 2025, stating why the shares should not be permanently forfeited.
It was learnt that the EFCC had earlier approached the court on April 29, 2025, seeking interim forfeiture of the shares listed in schedules A, B, and C of the case.
Aneke granted the interim order on May 7, 2025, and directed that it be published in a national daily, which was done on July 9, 2025.
This, according to the source, paved the way for any interested parties to challenge the application.
Mohammed’s team complied by filing its affidavit, but before the adjourned date for hearing, the EFCC returned to court during the annual vacation and secured a final forfeiture order without reference to the pending affidavit.
On August 29, 2025, Ojo filed a motion to set aside Dipeolu’s ruling, arguing that the court erred in law by granting the EFCC’s application during vacation without compliance with conditions precedent.
The defense further contended that the forfeiture order disregarded material facts, particularly that the shares in question were acquired between 2007 and 2015, years before Mohammed was appointed Managing Director of NAPL in October 2015.
The case has also raised concerns because a similar suit had been filed earlier at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
That matter, presided over by N.E. Maha (Justice) under Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/857/2024 (EFCC v. Awhua Resources Ltd & Anor), involved the same shares allegedly linked to Mohammed but was struck out on April 8, 2025, for lack of diligent prosecution.
The controversy stems from a petition submitted to the EFCC on November 7, 2021, by Isah Doma, a rtd Brigadier General, who succeeded Mohammed as head of NAPL.
Military sources claim the petition was part of a effort by Doma and some serving and retired officers to tarnish Mohammed’s reputation and mislead the EFCC into taking action against him.
Efforts to get Mohammed’s reaction were unsuccessful, as sources disclosed that he is undergoing medical treatment after more than three years of detention by the Nigerian military.
BusinessDay Newspapers had reported that the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the permanent forfeiture of shares valued at over N246 million traced to Mohammed, former MD of the NAPL, to the Federal Government.
According to Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, Dipeolu delivered the ruling after granting an application by the the Commission, represented by H.U. Kofarnaisa, its counsel.
According to the agency, the shares were proceeds of unlawful activities uncovered during investigations into a petition filed by NAPL.
“The petition alleged that Mohammed, alongside Yusuf Abdullahi Abubakar and Kayode Oladipupo Filani, diverted funds by selling off company properties while serving as NAPL’s head between 2015 and 2020.
“The order followed an earlier interim forfeiture granted by Chukwujekwu Aneke (Justice), which was published in a national newspaper to allow objections from interested parties”, it stated.
Investigators alleged that the proceeds were laundered through the purchase of shares in several companies via Awhua Resources Limited.
The acquisitions included N115.6 million in National Aviation Handling Company shares, N81.9 million in Vitafoam Nigeria Plc, N40.1 million in University Press Plc, N2 million in Oando Plc, and N1 million in Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc.
Dipeolu ruled that the EFCC had established its case and subsequently ordered the final forfeiture of the shares listed in the application to the Federal Government.
