The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) on Monday obtained a final forfeiture order of a Hawker 800XP private jet before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, in a case tied to alleged corruption and money laundering involving the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project (MEPP) and Abdulsalam Mustapha Kachallah (Bomboy).
The aircraft, with serial number 258553 and registration number 5N-AMK, was ordered forfeited to the Federal Government after the court held that the claimant, Valiente Jet Limited, failed to prove lawful ownership or the legitimate origin of funds used in acquiring the asset.
Justice Nwite ruled that the circumstances surrounding the purchase of the aircraft, including the use of a Bureau De Change operator as a front, reinforced the prosecution’s claims of concealment and illegality.
The court had earlier issued an interim forfeiture order on November 13, 2025, and directed public notice for any interested party to show cause why the jet should not be permanently forfeited.
Beyond the courtroom outcome, the case has drawn political attention due to Kachallah’s recent public profile as a political actor in Borno State, where he was reportedly among aspirants who declined to withdraw from the contest for the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) Federal Constituency ticket ahead of the next election cycle.
Investigations presented by the EFCC linked Kachallah to alleged fraudulent transactions surrounding contracts awarded under the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited), valued at over $114 million and ₦23.17 billion.
The anti-graft agency told the court that Kachallah, who previously held a public appointment in Borno State, allegedly used his position and network of companies to obtain confidential bidding information and secure financial advantages from contractors, including China Machinery Engineering Company (CMEC).
According to the EFCC, CMEC later received contracts worth over $52 million and ₦20.21 billion, with funds allegedly routed through Afuwa Integrated Services Limited, a Bureau De Change operator, under the guise of subcontracting arrangements.
Investigators further alleged that $2.07 million was transferred into the BDC-linked account and later moved offshore to facilitate the purchase of the aircraft from a Brazilian company.
The Commission maintained that forged invoices and corporate layering were used to conceal the origin of the funds and ultimately transfer ownership of the jet to Valiente Jet Limited, a company allegedly linked to Kachallah.
Counsel to the EFCC, Iheanacho Ekele (SAN), argued that the transactions violated provisions of the ICPC Act and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, insisting that the court should pierce the corporate veil to identify the individuals behind the companies.
However, defence counsel M.E. Oru (SAN) challenged the admissibility of several exhibits and maintained that the companies involved were separate legal entities. The EFCC countered that the evidence clearly showed coordinated fraudulent activity, relying on judicial precedents supporting the lifting of the corporate veil in cases of alleged fraud.
In his judgment, Justice Nwite held that the interested party failed to provide credible evidence of lawful acquisition and granted the EFCC’s application for final forfeiture of the aircraft to the Federal Government.
The ruling marks a significant development in one of the major asset recovery cases linked to the MEPP investigation, which continues to draw both legal and political attention in Borno State.
