NIS Witness Testifies In Mike Ozekhome SAN Forgery Trial Regarding Disputed London Property Passport

An NIS witness testified that there is no database record for a passport used by Mike Ozekhome SAN in a London property dispute, alleging the document is forged.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 16, 2026, 11:10 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Peoples Gazette

Database Verification and Forgery Allegations

The trial of human rights lawyer Mike Ozekhome SAN and Ponfa Useni continued on Thursday with testimony from Aridegbe Akim, a prosecution witness representing the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). Akim testified that the NIS database serves as the definitive record for all legally issued Nigerian passports, asserting that any document not found within this system is considered fake. The witness's testimony is central to a 12-count forgery charge brought by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF) regarding a disputed property in London.

The Disputed Passport of "Tali Shani"

According to the prosecution, the defendants allegedly forged a Nigerian passport (No. A07535463) under the name "Tali Shani" to support their claim to a property located at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London. The property was reportedly procured by the late Lt.-Gen. Jeremiah Useni. During cross-examination by defense counsel Tayo Oyetibo SAN and F. R. Onoja SAN, the witness explained that while the disputed passport may physically resemble genuine NIS documents, it lacks the essential electronic footprint—including breeder documents, enrollment records, and National Identification Number (NIN) linkage—found in the official database.

Technical Features of Legal Documents

Akim clarified that Nigerian passports are machine-readable documents with specific security features. He noted that although manufacturers generate unique numbers for every passport, the actual data page is only created and recorded in the NIS system once a citizen successfully completes the enrollment process. In the case of the name "Tali Shani," the witness told the court that a system search yielded no particulars or history, concluding that the legal issuance process was never triggered for that identity.