The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, secured a final forfeiture order of a Hawker private Jet 125 before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, over its links to fraud, corruption, and money laundering in relation to the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project (MEPP).

The aircraft, with model number 800XP, serial number 258553 and registration number 5N-AMK, was forfeited following an application by the EFCC.

Justice Nwite, ruling on the application, held that no sufficient cause was shown by Valiente Jet Limited, a company owned by Abdulsalam Kachallah, an interested party, why the aircraft should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.

“The interested party has not demonstrated with evidence the lawful origin of the funds used to purchase the aircraft,” the judge held, stressing that the disguised manner through which the aircraft was acquired using the name of a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator who denied knowledge of the nature of the transaction further lent credence to the unlawfulness of the entire transaction.

The court had earlier granted an interim forfeiture order on November 13, 2025, and directed the Commission to publish the order in a national newspaper for interested parties to show why the aircraft should not be permanently forfeited.

Following the publication, Valiente Limited, owned by Kachallah, filed affidavits to show cause. The application for final forfeiture was supported by an affidavit deposed to by Aminu Abdullahi, an investigator with the EFCC.

According to the investigator, the Commission received intelligence bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence and money laundering involving Kachallah (The Guardian)

Update news