Mike Ozekhome Named in Fraudulent Transfer of Property in the UK

 A United Kingdom property tribunal has dismissed attempts to transfer ownership of a North London house linked to late Nigerian General Jeremiah Useni to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, and other claimants, after concluding that false identities and forged documents were at the heart of the case.










The property, situated at 79 Randall Avenue, Neasden, London NW2 7SX, and registered under the name “Tali Shani” with title number MX117803, was bought in 1993. Evidence presented to the tribunal revealed that Mr. Useni, a former FCT minister and an ally of the late dictator Sani Abacha, was the actual purchaser of the property.

Mr Useni later admitted in oral testimony that he acquired the house with his own funds but registered it under the fabricated name ‘Tali Shani’. The former FCT minister, who served under Mr Abacha, never explained why the home was not recorded under his true identity.

In 2021, a transfer document surfaced suggesting the property had been conveyed to Mr Ozekhome.

The lawyer argued that Mr Useni, acting through the alias Tali Shani, had passed the house to him either as a gift or in recognition of legal services he claimed to have rendered. Based on that document and the accompanying powers of attorney signed in 2019 and 2020, Mr Ozekhome requested that both the tribunal and the chief land registrar register him as the new owner.

Mr Ozekhome could have successfully got the transfer of ownership to his name done, but a dispute escalated when, in 2022, a woman presenting herself as ‘Ms Tali Shani’ challenged the transfer. The woman asserted that she was the rightful owner of the house and insisted that she had never authorised its conveyance.

At one point, the woman was reported to have died in October 2024, only for her supposed son, Ayodele Damola, and cousin, Marcel Obasi, to continue pressing the case on her behalf.

However, in its judgment delivered on September 11, 2025, the tribunal rejected her account entirely.

Judge Ewan Paton stated that the materials she relied on, including identity papers, utility bills, and even a death certificate later produced by supposed relatives, were riddled with inconsistencies and, in many cases, outright forgeries. Investigations carried out by Nigeria’s National Identity Management Commission and the police confirmed the documents were fabricated, with addresses and identification numbers traced to non-existent or unrelated persons.

The judge described testimony given by individuals claiming to be her relatives as “wholly unconvincing, dishonest and at times almost comical”, concluding that both the supposed female owner and the male ‘Tali Shani’ cited by Mr Ozekhome were fictitious identities.

While dismissing the rival objection, the tribunal also refused to recognise Mr Ozekhome’s claim. It ruled that since Mr Useni (who died on January 23, 2025) was the genuine buyer, albeit using a false name, the property now belongs to his estate following his death earlier this year (2025).

“The final outcome of this case, therefore, is that both parties have failed,” the judge said. “Neither ‘Tali Shani’ was who they said they were, and neither was the person who purchased this property in 1993. The real owner, via a false name, was General Jeremiah Useni.”

The tribunal ordered the chief land registrar to cancel Mr Ozekhome’s attempted registration and made clear that it will be up to Mr Useni’s lawful estate representatives to decide what steps to take regarding the London house.

“This is a decision made in public proceedings, which shall be published,” Mr Paton stated, leaving open the possibility of further action by British or Nigerian authorities in relation to the frauds uncovered.

British Airways stewardess sacked for being too scared to fly wins discrimination claim

After being temporarily moved to a role on the ground, Ms Clifford was still unable to take to the skies by the end of 2022 and was fired.

She sued BA, claiming that a manager had “minimised” the severity of her condition by describing it as “just a little bit of anxiety”.

Now, she is set to receive compensation after the tribunal found the airline should have given her mThe tribunal in Reading, Berkshire, heard that Ms Clifford began working for BA in 1983 as a member of cabin crew.

She had risen to the rank of in-flight manager by the time the pandemic hit in 2020The tribunal in Reading, Berkshire, heard that Ms Clifford began working for BA in 1983 as a member of cabin crew.

She had risen to the rank of in-flight manager by the time the pandemic hit in 2020 and was placed on furlough in April.

During her period of leave she was told that she would be made redundant in August 2020. and was placed on furlough in April.

During her period of leave she was told that she would be made redundant in August 2020.ore credit for her decades of service and considered a different role for her that did not involve flying.

The tribunal in Reading, Berkshire, heard that Ms Clifford began working for BA in 1983 as a member of cabin crew.




She had risen to the rank of in-flight manager by the time the pandemic hit in 2020 and was placed on furlough in April.




During her period of leave she was told that she would be made redundant in August 2020.

Home Office catches illegal workers at North London restaurant - 'woman answers door and disappears'

Harrow Council will decide whether to strip Mumbai Local, an Indian restaurant on Streatfield Road, of its licence at a meeting of its Licensing Panel next week (August 20). Immigration officers have found people working there illegally on three separate visits dating back to 2023.

The licence review has been triggered by the Home Office due to the owner repeatedly employing people with no right to work in the UK and for paying them “substantially below” minimum wage. A total of eight illegal workers were identified during the three visits, which included the same worker on separate occasions seven months apart.

5-year-old boy had his cancer treatments interrupted with his deportation as his family files suit against ICE

The children are U.S. citizens and were born in Louisiana and the young boy was diagnosed with his condition at the age of two. “Romeo needs regular specialized care and follow-up treatment to this day,” the lawsuit states.


The case is being brought by the National Immigration Project on behalf of the family as well as another mother, who also has two children who are U.S. citizens – which claims the families were deported “without even a semblance of due process.”


Documents seen by The Independent allege that ICE violated its own policy and multiple federal laws when officers secretly detained the families in hotel rooms, denied them the opportunity to speak to family and make decisions about or arrangements for their minor children.

Nigerian Awarded £20k for unfair dismissal

 CCTV security officer awarded £20k for unfair dismissal after falling asleep at work

Panel finds the seriousness of dozing off depends on ‘context’ and says claimant should have received a final written warning

by Mahalia Mayne 23 June 2025

A CCTV security officer who fell asleep for 15 minutes while on duty has been awarded more than £20,000 in compensation after a tribunal ruled his dismissal was unfair.

The Cambridge tribunal heard that Mr C Okoro, who had spent 16 years working for cleaning, security and facilities services company Bidvest Noonan, claimed he was not asleep but was instead “meditating” and “thinking” while looking away from the monitors to alleviate discomfort from dry eyes.

Despite his long service, the company treated the incident as gross misconduct. However, the tribunal ruled that the dismissal was outside the “band of reasonable responses”.

The judge deemed that a final written warning would have been a more fitting response, given that Okoro’s actions were unintentional. Judge Conley said: “It seems to us that the seriousness of falling asleep on the job is something that very much depends upon its context.”

Okoro succeeded in his claims for both unfair and wrongful dismissal. In a remedy hearing, he was awarded £20,521 in compensation, which included £5,138 for damages of breach of contract in respect of notice, a basic award of £5,210 and compensation for financial losses of £10,172.

Okoro was also ordered to pay Bidvest Noonan £4,030 in costs.
Background

Okoro was employed by Bidvest Noonan as a CCTV controller from 26 November 2006 until his dismissal on 23 December 2022, following an act of gross misconduct.

Over his 16 years of service, Okoro's primary role was to monitor CCTV footage from a control room located at the Xscape shopping centre in Milton Keynes, a client of Bidvest Noonan.

On 1 September 2022, Claire Hawes, soft services manager at Bidvest Noonan, conducted a spot check and observed Okoro apparently asleep at his workstation. She reported her observations by email to her supervisor, Muhammed Choudhry, key account manager, who reviewed the CCTV footage and confirmed that Okoro had been asleep between 5.03am to 5.18am on that day.

The tribunal found both Hawes’s and Choudhry’s observations to be “accurate and reliable” and agreed that Okoro was indeed asleep at the time in question.

On 5 September, Choudhry wrote to Okoro inviting him to attend an investigation meeting on 9 September, where he would have the opportunity to view the CCTV footage.

Okoro denied being asleep, instead claiming that he was simply looking away from the monitors because he had dry eyes and had no intention of sleeping. He also presented evidence of medical treatment for his eye condition.

Despite Okoro’s claims, the tribunal found that while his eye discomfort might have been a factor, the evidence showed that Okoro was indeed asleep during the observed time.

The tribunal was also informed that the day in question was Okoro’s sixth consecutive night shift and that his shifts typically followed a ‘four on, four off’ pattern. Choudhry testified that this shift pattern was not unusual for employees in Okoro’s role and many staff members regularly worked additional shifts as overtime.

In response to Okoro’s complaints about his eyes, Choudhry consulted with Bidvest Noonan’s HR department and referred Okoro for an occupational health assessment. However, Okoro declined to provide permission for the results of this assessment to be shared with the company.

On 9 December 2022, Choudhry completed an investigation report, concluding that Okoro had fallen asleep on duty. This was deemed a matter of gross misconduct, which could result in dismissal.

The tribunal heard that Bidvest Noonan's disciplinary policy lists many forms of misconduct, such as poor timekeeping, unsatisfactory work standards and inappropriate attitude or demeanor, among other things. The policy defines gross misconduct as purposeful breaches of contract, standards, rules and regulations, and theft of money or property, among other things.

However, Adelina Hritulac, operations manager appointed to handle disciplinary hearings, asserted that the version of the disciplinary policy submitted to the tribunal was an earlier draft. She stated that the version she was relying upon did include ‘sleeping on duty’ as being a specified act of gross misconduct. Nonetheless, the tribunal concluded that, if this had been the case, given the central importance of this issue to this claim, the correct version would have been submitted to the tribunal as part of the bundle. They therefore determined that sleeping on duty was not “itemised” in this way and that Hrituliac was incorrect.

Okoro received a letter on 15 December, confirming his dismissal, effective from 10 December. The tribunal heard that Okoro chose not to appeal the decision, instead filing a claim with the employment tribunals on 13 February 2023.
Judge’s comments

The tribunal concluded that Bidvest Noonan conducted a fair investigation and that the belief of misconduct was genuine. However, the central issue for employment judge Conley and the panel was whether the dismissal fell within the “band of reasonable responses”.

The tribunal noted that there were “compelling arguments” both for and against dismissal in this case.

They acknowledged that Okoro was solely responsible for monitoring the CCTV cameras, which was a vital component of Bidvest Noonan's client's security services.

The tribunal emphasised the critical necessity of this duty in ensuring that the client's contractual obligations were fulfilled. Failing to perform this task correctly and remaining awake during shifts was deemed essential to the respondent's service agreement.

The panel further acknowledged that Okoro's failure to remain awake may have had serious implications, including contract cancellation, which could have caused financial and reputational harm to the respondent. Additionally, the tribunal highlighted that the security of the site had been compromised for the 15 minutes that Okoro was asleep, which could have significant repercussions.

However, the judge and panel ruled that the seriousness of falling asleep on the job was something that very much depended upon context.

“We appreciate that, in this case, the claimant was asleep for rather more than a few seconds (15 minutes to be exact), but nevertheless we do find that these facts are rather closer to the less serious end of the spectrum, principally because of the fact that his actions were involuntary not wilful, and that, although there was undoubtedly the potential for there to be serious consequences caused by this incident, we have regard to the fact that the potential was limited (for the reasons previously given) and that none were caused,” the judgment added.

Conley and the panel also concluded that Okoro's duration of spotless service was the most important criteria in avoiding summary dismissal. They further stated that Okoro had no disciplinary record during his 16-year tenure. “In our judgment, while plainly serious, this does not outweigh his many years of service and the decision to dismiss was outside the band of reasonable responses and was unfair. He should have been given a final written warning,” Conley added.
Lawyer’s comments

Jainika Patel, senior associate at Freeths, said the action of falling asleep while on duty was no doubt a matter of serious concern. “This case found that the employer undertook a fair investigation and genuinely believed the employee had fallen asleep,” she said.

“Unfortunately, that is not enough when it comes to the dismissal being fair. Context when considering the misconduct itself is key to establishing whether it would be reasonable to dismiss, rather than issue a warning or lesser sanction.”

She explained that, in this case, the tribunal found arguments for and against dismissal. “Ulitmately, the employee had been asleep for a short period of time. He was understandably tired after he had undertaken multiple consecutive night shifts, and he fell asleep at around 5am when the shopping centre he was providing security for was closed and securely locked, minimising risk to the public and employer,” she said.

Patel added that his long length of employment service and no previous disciplinary record also pointed towards retention rather than dismissal. “Had the context been that he had intentionally snuck off to sleep in defiance of his duties, that he was asleep when the shopping centre was open, and/or there was an incident that caused damage to the employer’s relationship with the shopping centre because he was asleep, dismissal may have been more likely a fair response,” she explained.

TikTok star Khaby Lame arrested by ICE and expelled from the United States

Social media megastar Khaby Lame, followed by more than 160 million subscribers on TikTok and UNICEF goodwill ambassador, was arrested on June 6 at Harry Reid airport in Las Vegas by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for "immigration violations" after "overstaying the terms of his visa." The 25-year-old Italian influencer, who arrived in the United States on April 30, was granted "voluntary departure" on the same day as his arrest and has since left American territory. This case occurs in the context of the drastic immigration crackdown led by the Trump administration, which aims to expel millions of immigrants without legal status and labels any person in irregular situation as "criminal," even affecting celebrities with valid documentation.

UK Home Office Backs Down on Family Visa Salary Hike in Win for Migrant Families

Migrants seeking a family visa can breathe a tentative sigh of relief as a Home Office issued report has suggested making it easier for families to move over to the UK.

The minimum income requirement (MIR) for family visas is currently set at £29,000 ($39,170) but could be lowered by several thousand pounds per the Migration Advisory Committee's (MAC) report released on Tuesday.

In it, the MAC suggested that a lowered MIR range between £21,000 to £28,000 ($28,364 to $37819) would be more reasonable, and that potential options based on their methodology 'cluster around the region of £23,000 to £25,000 ($31,065 to $33,767).'

'A threshold at this level would allow most British workers in full-time minimum-wage jobs to qualify,' they added.

Family visas have been a key focus of Keir Starmer's crackdown on net migration, yet they only make up 5% of total UK visa applications. The MAC report comes just weeks after Starmer said the UK is at risk of becoming an 'island of strangers.'

As reported by The Guardian, many families like Camille Auclair and Moisés Álvarez Jiménez have been drastically affected by last year's MIR increase.

The young couple who married two years after meeting in Mexico in 2017 were robbed of having a child because Moisés was unable to afford the family visa.

Nigeria: Nigerian Grandmother Sacked From Cleaner Job At London University Over 'Misplaced Bracelet'

A 71-year-old grandmother, Janet Olufunke Damiro is fighting to clear her name after being dismissed from her cleaning job of 13 years at the London School of Economics (LSE), following an allegation that she stole a bracelet.

Damiro, a Nigerian-born cleaner who arrived in the UK in 1971, said she simply forgot to report a bracelet she found while on duty at the university's Saw Swee Hock Student Centre.

She placed it in her purse to keep it safe, intending to return it later.

Speaking to Metro, Janet explained, "I can't sleep. I have never had a bad record or been to HR before in my life. LSE have treated me really badly. It was my only job and I loved working there. I never expected to be suspended or dismissed. I did not steal this thing. If I see any items I always hand them over. This is the first time in my life I have had a problem like this since I came to this country. It is really bugging me."

Janet said she was approached by university management three days after the bracelet went missing.

She immediately returned it and apologised. Despite that, she was suspended and ultimately sacked in late April for gross misconduct.

Now, more than 70 of her colleagues - including three supervisors - have rallied behind her, writing a joint letter to LSE management in support of her character.

The letter reads, "Janet has always conducted herself with integrity and consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic." It also emphasised that they can "confidently speak to her professionalism and dedication."

Her union, United Voices of the World (UVW), is contesting the dismissal and has launched an appeal.

Five children among 35 people deported to Nigeria on chartered flight

Five children were among a group of 35 people deported to Nigeria on a chartered flight from Dublin Airport on Wednesday.

The Garda National Immigration Bureau carried out the operation, which involved 21 men, nine women and five children. The children involved were deported as part of family groups.

Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said returning people whose applications had been refused and who have had deportation orders issued against them is “the foundation of any modern rules-based immigration process.”

“People coming to Ireland must follow the appropriate pathways for legal migration and these pathways must be adhered to and protected for our immigration system to work fairly and effectively. If a person’s application for international protection is refused and they are ordered to leave the State they must do so.

This is the third charter operation this year, he added.

“Removal operations of this nature send a clear message that there are consequences for people who remain in our country without permission and underscores this Government’s intention to protect the integrity of our immigration system.”

The minister also said that the flight “was required to make an unscheduled stop due to a medical incident on board, but I am happy to say that the flight was able to resume its journey with all 35 returnees arriving safely in Nigeria this morning.”

“I want to thank the members of An Garda Síochána and my officials for their work in conducting this successful operation.”

UK on verge of deal with EU to let Britons use European passport e-gates

British holidaymakers could face shorter airport queues this summer with negotiators on the verge of striking an agreement for UK passport holders to use e-gates across Europe.

Downing Street said on Saturday that it was poised to strike a deal with the EU that would improve things for British families facing “queues on holiday”.

The Guardian understands officials on both sides are in talks about allowing British travellers to use e-gates reserved for people from the EU or European Economic Area when arriving at airports in Europe, ending the current two-queue system.

The issue forms part of negotiations ahead of the highly anticipated UK-EU summit in London on Monday, which will focus on a security and defence pact.

Since Brexit, British travellers have had to queue to have their passports stamped when arriving in many European airports, with e-gates reserved for EU passport holders and members of the European Economic Area.

Some airports in Portugal and Spain have introduced e-gates that accept British passports, though the Foreign Office still encourages UK travellers to get their passports stamped.

Rishi Sunak’s government sought an agreement to open e-gates across the EU to British passport holders