The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of a Hawker 800XP private jet linked to alleged fraud, corruption, and money laundering connected to contracts awarded under the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the ruling ordering the permanent forfeiture of the aircraft to the Federal Government.
The aircraft, identified as a Hawker 800XP with serial number 258553 and registration number 5N-AMK, was forfeited following an application filed by the EFCC.
In his judgment, Justice Nwite held that Valiente Jet Limited, owned by Abdulsalam Mustapha Kachallah, failed to provide sufficient evidence showing the lawful source of funds used to acquire the aircraft.
“The interested party has not demonstrated with evidence the lawful origin of the funds used to purchase the aircraft,” the judge ruled.
The court further stated that the manner in which the aircraft was acquired, allegedly through the name of a Bureau De Change operator who denied knowledge of the transaction, strengthened suspicions surrounding the legality of the purchase.
Justice Nwite said the court was satisfied with the evidence presented by the EFCC and consequently ordered the final forfeiture of the aircraft to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The court had earlier granted an interim forfeiture order on November 13, 2025, directing the EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper to allow interested parties to show cause why the aircraft should not be permanently forfeited.
Following the interim order, Valiente Jet Limited filed affidavits opposing the final forfeiture application.
The EFCC was represented by Iheanacho Ekele and O. S. Ujam, while Kachallah was represented by M. E. Oru.
Counsel to Kachallah argued that payments made into the account of Afunwa Integrated Services Limited by China Machinery Engineering Company were based on a consultancy and facilitation agreement relating to contracts under the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project.
The defence also argued that Kachallah was legally separate from the companies involved in the transactions and challenged the admissibility of some exhibits tendered by the EFCC.
However, the EFCC maintained that Kachallah’s actions violated provisions of the ICPC Act and the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
The anti-graft agency further alleged that Kachallah was a public officer appointed by the Borno State Government at the time of the transactions.
EFCC counsel Iheanacho Ekele also cited legal authorities supporting the principle that courts may lift the corporate veil in cases involving fraud or illegality to identify individuals behind corporate entities.
According to EFCC investigators, intelligence reports linked Kachallah and some officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretences, and money laundering.
Investigations reportedly revealed that in 2021, the NNPCL awarded contracts under the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project valued at $114.1m and N23.17bn.
The EFCC alleged that Kachallah, who was then Chairman of the Borno State Rural Electrification Board and a member of the project steering committee, used his position and connections within NNPCL to engage in illicit transactions tied to the project.
The Commission claimed that he entered into unlawful agreements with China Machinery Engineering Company through firms linked to him and allegedly sold confidential bidding information in exchange for financial inducements.
According to the EFCC, CMEC later secured three contracts valued at $52.1m and N20.21bn.
Part of the contract funds was allegedly routed through Afunwa Integrated Services Limited under the false claim that the company acted as a subcontractor to CMEC.
The EFCC stated that CMEC transferred $2.07m into the account of Afunwa Integrated Services Limited on Kachallah’s instruction.
Investigators further alleged that forged invoices were created in the company’s name to falsely indicate legitimate services rendered to CMEC.
The funds were subsequently allegedly transferred to a Brazilian account for the purchase of the aircraft from a Brazilian company.
The EFCC also accused Kachallah of using Afunwa Integrated Services Limited to acquire the aircraft before allegedly forging documents to transfer ownership to Valiente Jet Limited.e Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of a Hawker 800XP private jet linked to alleged fraud, corruption, and money laundering connected to contracts awarded under the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the ruling ordering the permanent forfeiture of the aircraft to the Federal Government.
The aircraft, identified as a Hawker 800XP with serial number 258553 and registration number 5N-AMK, was forfeited following an application filed by the EFCC.
In his judgment, Justice Nwite held that Valiente Jet Limited, owned by Abdulsalam Mustapha Kachallah, failed to provide sufficient evidence showing the lawful source of funds used to acquire the aircraft.
“The interested party has not demonstrated with evidence the lawful origin of the funds used to purchase the aircraft,” the judge ruled.
The court further stated that the manner in which the aircraft was acquired, allegedly through the name of a Bureau De Change operator who denied knowledge of the transaction, strengthened suspicions surrounding the legality of the purchase.
Justice Nwite said the court was satisfied with the evidence presented by the EFCC and consequently ordered the final forfeiture of the aircraft to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The court had earlier granted an interim forfeiture order on November 13, 2025, directing the EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper to allow interested parties to show cause why the aircraft should not be permanently forfeited.
Following the interim order, Valiente Jet Limited filed affidavits opposing the final forfeiture application.
The EFCC was represented by Iheanacho Ekele and O. S. Ujam, while Kachallah was represented by M. E. Oru.
Counsel to Kachallah argued that payments made into the account of Afunwa Integrated Services Limited by China Machinery Engineering Company were based on a consultancy and facilitation agreement relating to contracts under the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project.
The defence also argued that Kachallah was legally separate from the companies involved in the transactions and challenged the admissibility of some exhibits tendered by the EFCC.
However, the EFCC maintained that Kachallah’s actions violated provisions of the ICPC Act and the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
The anti-graft agency further alleged that Kachallah was a public officer appointed by the Borno State Government at the time of the transactions.
EFCC counsel Iheanacho Ekele also cited legal authorities supporting the principle that courts may lift the corporate veil in cases involving fraud or illegality to identify individuals behind corporate entities.
According to EFCC investigators, intelligence reports linked Kachallah and some officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretences, and money laundering.
Investigations reportedly revealed that in 2021, the NNPCL awarded contracts under the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project valued at $114.1m and N23.17bn.
The EFCC alleged that Kachallah, who was then Chairman of the Borno State Rural Electrification Board and a member of the project steering committee, used his position and connections within NNPCL to engage in illicit transactions tied to the project.
The Commission claimed that he entered into unlawful agreements with China Machinery Engineering Company through firms linked to him and allegedly sold confidential bidding information in exchange for financial inducements.
According to the EFCC, CMEC later secured three contracts valued at $52.1m and N20.21bn.
Part of the contract funds was allegedly routed through Afunwa Integrated Services Limited under the false claim that the company acted as a subcontractor to CMEC.
The EFCC stated that CMEC transferred $2.07m into the account of Afunwa Integrated Services Limited on Kachallah’s instruction.
Investigators further alleged that forged invoices were created in the company’s name to falsely indicate legitimate services rendered to CMEC.
The funds were subsequently allegedly transferred to a Brazilian account for the purchase of the aircraft from a Brazilian company.
The EFCC also accused Kachallah of using Afunwa Integrated Services Limited to acquire the aircraft before allegedly forging documents to transfer ownership to Valiente Jet Limited.
