The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has called on the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to initiate a thorough investigation into the fraudulent procurement of Nigerian national identity documents exposed in a recent judgment by a United Kingdom court.
The judgment, delivered on September 11, 2025, in the case Tali Shani v Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome ([2025] UKFTT 1090 (PC)) by the UK First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), unveiled a web of deceit involving fake Nigerian passports, National Identification Numbers (NINs), and death certificates.
According to the ruling, the claimant in the case, “Ms. Tali Shani,” was discovered to be a fictitious person.
The court found that a number of forged Nigerian identity documents were used in an attempt to mislead the court and unlawfully claim ownership of a property.
The tribunal also noted that another fake individual, “Mr. Tali Shani,” was presented by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and his son, with both relying on fraudulently obtained Nigerian passports and NINs allegedly issued through the Nigerian Immigration Service and the National Identity Management Commission — agencies under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior.
HEDA, in a petition signed by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, described the revelations as alarming, warning that such fraudulent access to national identity documents poses grave risks to Nigeria’s security and international image.
“This case raises serious questions about the integrity of Nigeria’s identity management and passport systems.
“When forged documents can be used so easily to commit international fraud, it undermines our institutions and endangers national security,” Suraju said.
The civil society group urged the Ministry of Interior to probe how the fictitious “Tali Shani” identities obtained official Nigerian documents and to identify all individuals, officials, and entities—both public and private—involved in the scheme.
HEDA also called for sanctions against any complicit officials and demanded that the findings of the investigation be made public to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s documentation system.
“As a country, we cannot afford to overlook such a scandal. The ease with which fraudulent NIN and passport documents were issued calls for urgent reforms in our identity management processes,” Suraju stressed.
The organisation further demanded tighter verification protocols to prevent future issuance of national documents to non-existent persons, describing the UK court case as “a national embarrassment that must not be swept under the carpet
'
'Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Kindly donate any amount HERE
