By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa
The Federal Government has withdrawn the criminal charges levelled against human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome.
The three-count charge, which included allegations of forgery and fraud, was officially struck out on Tuesday by Justice Peter Kekemeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, Abuja.
The withdrawal follows a directive from the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, who opted to take over the prosecution from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
At the resumed hearing, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), informed the court that the AGF had decided to conduct “a holistic review” of the case to determine the most appropriate course of action. The application to withdraw the charges was not opposed by Ozekhome’s defence counsel, led by Paul Erokoro (SAN).
The ICPC had originally arraigned Ozekhome on charges related to a disputed property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX. Prosecutors alleged that the senior lawyer illegally received the property, which he claimed was a gift, and purportedly used a forged Nigerian passport to support his ownership claim. The anti-graft agency argued that these actions contravened the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act and the FCT Penal Code.
On January 29, 2026, the DPPF notified the court of the AGF’s decision to take over the case from the ICPC, a move permitted under Section 174 of the Nigerian Constitution. This section empowers the AGF to institute, take over, or discontinue criminal proceedings at any stage.
According to Mr. Oyedepo, the decision was made in collaboration with the ICPC. He stated that the takeover was aimed at ensuring the prosecution met “the highest standards of effectiveness, efficiency, diligence and compliance with due process.”
He further explained that the Attorney General’s decision was guided by public interest and the need to uphold “fairness and competence in the criminal justice system.” Oyedepo assured the court that the rights of the defendant would be protected and that no injustice would be done as the office reviews the case file, which is being retrieved from the ICPC.
Following the unopposed application for withdrawal, Justice Kekemeke struck out the charge, bringing the legal proceedings against Ozekhome to a close.
