The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation has withdrawn the criminal charge filed against senior advocate, Mike Ozekhome, over alleged forgery.
The withdrawal was announced on Tuesday at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama.
The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, informed Justice Peter Kekemeke that the Attorney General of the Federation had resolved to take a holistic review of the case to determine the most appropriate course of action.
Following the application — which was not opposed by the defence team led by Paul Erokoro (SAN) — the court struck out the three-count charge against Ozekhome.
The senior lawyer had earlier been arraigned on allegations bordering on forgery and related offences in a case initially instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
According to the charge filed by the anti-graft agency at the FCT High Court in Abuja, Ozekhome was accused of fraud, forgery and the use of false documents in connection with a disputed property in London.
Prosecutors alleged that he knowingly received a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, which he claimed was gifted to him, and subsequently used a forged Nigerian passport in support of that claim. The prosecution maintained that the alleged acts contravened provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act and the FCT Penal Code.
On January 29, 2026, Oyedepo notified the court of the Attorney General’s decision to take over the prosecution from the ICPC. He said the move was pursuant to Section 174 of the Constitution, which empowers the Attorney General of the Federation to institute, take over, or discontinue criminal proceedings.
Oyedepo explained that the decision was taken in collaboration with the anti-corruption agency to ensure that the prosecution met the highest standards of effectiveness, diligence and compliance with due process. He added that the Attorney General was guided by considerations of public interest and the need to reinforce confidence, fairness and competence within the criminal justice system.
The DPPF further cited inter-agency cooperation in the fight against corruption as a factor in assuming control of the matter, assuring the court that the defendant’s rights would be protected and that no injustice would occur during the review.
He subsequently urged the court to take judicial notice of the formal takeover and sought an adjournment to enable the retrieval and assessment of the case file from the ICPC.
Justice Kekemeke granted the application and struck out the charges.
