ABUJA: The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation has withdrawn the criminal charges earlier filed against Mike Ozekhome’s (SAN) Over alleged forgery.
The withdrawal was announced on Tuesday at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama, Abuja.
The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), informed the presiding judge, Peter Kekemeke, that the Attorney-General of the Federation decided to review the matter holistically in order to determine the most appropriate legal action.
Following the application, which was not opposed by the defence counsel led by Paul Erokoro (SAN), the court struck out the three-count charge against Ozekhome.
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Ozekhome had earlier been arraigned on allegations bordering on forgery, fraud and the use of false documents in a case initially instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The anti-graft agency accused the senior lawyer of knowingly receiving a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London, which he allegedly claimed was gifted to him, and of presenting a forged Nigerian passport in support of the claim.
Prosecutors argued that the alleged actions violated provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act as well as the FCT Penal Code.
Earlier, on January 29, 2026, Oyedepo had notified the court that the Attorney-General exercised constitutional powers under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution to take over the prosecution from the ICPC.
He explained that the decision followed consultations with the commission and was aimed at ensuring effectiveness, diligence and strict compliance with due process in the prosecution of criminal matters.
According to him, the Attorney-General’s action was guided by public interest considerations and the need to strengthen confidence, fairness and professionalism within Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
Oyedepo further assured the court that the rights of the defendant would be fully protected while the case undergoes review, adding that inter-agency collaboration in the fight against corruption also informed the decision.
Justice Kekemeke subsequently granted the application and struck out the charges against Ozekhome.
