By Vivian Daniel

In what anti-corruption experts describe as a defining moment for Nigeria’s asset recovery regime, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the final forfeiture of Hevee Hotel and N14,160,655.35, both linked to the late Okon Tom Ekpo, a former ExxonMobil staff member accused of using fake credentials to secure employment.

The ruling, delivered on 21 November 2025 by Hon. Justice Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, dismissed attempts by the defendant’s wife to reverse earlier forfeiture orders and reaffirmed the binding powers of in rem proceedings.

A statement issued on Monday and signed by John Okor Odey, ANIPR, ICPC Spokesperson, on behalf of the Commission, detailed the sequence of events leading to the decision.

Investigations by the ICPC revealed that Ekpo had allegedly impersonated another individual and used their academic certificates to secure employment at ExxonMobil Producing Company, an act that not only violated corporate ethics but constituted a criminal offence under Nigerian law.

In what ICPC described as “a demonstration of accountability in the face of wrongdoing,” Ekpo reportedly entered into plea bargain discussions, offering to forfeit Hevee Hotel, situated in Alafia Estate near the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, and funds held in his UBA account.

An in rem application for forfeiture was filed on 9 December 2022, leading to an interim forfeiture order granted by Hon. Justice T. G. Ringim on 13 January 2023. The Commission subsequently complied with all statutory requirements, publishing notices of the interim order in national newspapers and the Gazette.

On 13 March 2024, the court granted a final forfeiture order, returning the assets to the Federal Government.

However, the case resurfaced when the defendant’s wife contested the forfeiture, alleging fraud and seeking to overturn the court’s decisions. The ICPC’s legal team: Yvonne William-Mbata, Roseline Eze, and Yemisi Pereira, maintained that the court had become functus officio and could not reopen a matter conclusively decided.

Justice Owoeye agreed, ruling that there was no evidence of fraud and that the court lacked jurisdiction to revisit a “closed judicial chapter.”

“This judgment is a victory for due process and a clear affirmation that fraudulent gains, no matter how well concealed, will eventually be exposed,” the ICPC spokesperson stated.

Legal analysts say the ruling could influence future asset forfeiture and impersonation cases. It also reinforces the position of in rem proceedings as a powerful legal tool in anti-corruption enforcement.

Odey added: “The Commission remains steadfast in its mission to identify, investigate, and recover assets linked to acts of corruption. This decision strengthens public confidence in Nigeria’s justice system.”

For the ICPC, the ruling is more than a legal win; it is a public reaffirmation that corruption cannot buy immunity.