The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a final forfeiture order on a Hawker 800XP private jet allegedly linked to fraud, corruption and money laundering surrounding the controversial Maiduguri Emergency Power Project (MEPP).
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, granted the final forfeiture order on Monday after ruling that the aircraft was acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities tied to the multi-billion-naira power project.
The aircraft, identified as a Hawker private jet with model number 800XP, serial number 258553 and registration number 5N-AMK, was forfeited to the Federal Government following an application filed by the EFCC.
Delivering his ruling, Justice Nwite held that Valiente Jet Limited, a company linked to businessman Abdulsalam Mustapha Kachallah, failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify why the jet should not be permanently forfeited.
“The interested party has not demonstrated with evidence the lawful origin of the funds used to purchase the aircraft,” the judge ruled.
Justice Nwite further noted that the “disguised manner” through which the aircraft was acquired, including the alleged use of a Bureau De Change operator who reportedly denied knowledge of the transaction, reinforced the court’s conclusion that the deal was unlawful.
The court had earlier issued an interim forfeiture order on November 13, 2025, directing the anti-graft agency to publish the order in a national newspaper to allow interested parties to show cause why the jet should not be permanently forfeited.
Following the publication, Valiente Limited, owned by Kachallah, filed affidavits opposing the forfeiture. However, the EFCC pressed ahead with its application, supported by an affidavit sworn to by one of its investigators, Aminu Abdullahi.
According to the EFCC, investigations uncovered alleged conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence and money laundering involving Kachallah, who was reportedly serving as Chairman of the Borno State Rural Electrification Board and also a member of the steering committee for the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project.
The anti-graft agency said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) awarded contracts under the project in 2021 valued at $114.1 million and over N23.1 billion.
Investigators alleged that Kachallah exploited his position and relationship with officials of the NNPCL to strike unlawful deals connected to the project, including allegedly selling privileged bidding information to China Machinery Engineering Company (CMEC) in exchange for financial inducements.
The EFCC further claimed that CMEC eventually secured three contracts under the project worth over $52.1 million and more than N20.2 billion.
Part of the contract proceeds, according to the Commission, was allegedly routed through Afuwa Integrated Services Limited, a Bureau De Change operator, under the pretext that the company had been subcontracted by CMEC.
The EFCC said CMEC transferred $2.07 million into the Stanbic IBTC Bank account of Afuwa Integrated Services Limited on Kachallah’s instruction.
Investigators also alleged that forged invoices were created in the name of the Bureau De Change operator to falsely suggest legitimate services had been rendered to the Chinese firm.
The Commission told the court that the funds were later transferred to a Brazilian account and used to purchase the aircraft from a Brazilian company.
