The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation has discontinued the criminal proceedings instituted against senior advocate Mike Ozekhome over alleged forgery.
The withdrawal was announced on Tuesday before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama.
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), informed Justice Peter Kekemeke that the Attorney General had resolved to review the matter comprehensively and determine the appropriate next steps.
Following the application — which was not opposed by the defence counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN) — the court struck out the three-count charge.
Ozekhome had earlier been arraigned on allegations of forgery, fraud, and the use of false documents in a case originally filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The anti-graft agency accused the senior lawyer of receiving a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London, which he claimed was a gift, and allegedly 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.
On January 29, 2026, Oyedepo had notified the court of the Attorney General’s decision to take over the prosecution in line with Section 174 of the Constitution, which empowers the AGF to institute, assume, or discontinue criminal proceedings.
He explained that the takeover was undertaken in collaboration with the ICPC to ensure due process, efficiency, and adherence to the highest prosecutorial standards.
According to him, the move was guided by public interest and the need to uphold fairness and integrity within the criminal justice system.
The DPPF assured the court that the rights of all parties would be protected during the review process and that inter-agency cooperation remained central to the anti-corruption fight.
After considering the application, Justice Kekemeke granted the request and formally struck out the charges against Ozekhome.
