The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured a final court approval for the forfeiture of a hotel and over ₦14 million traced to a former ExxonMobil employee who was found to have gained employment using forged documents.
The assets were linked to the late Okon Tom Ekpo, who, according to the ICPC, joined ExxonMobil after allegedly assuming another person’s identity and submitting falsified academic records. The discovery led to charges being filed against him at the Ikeja High Court.
Before his death, Mr. Ekpo reportedly entered a plea bargain with the ICPC. As part of the arrangement, he agreed to relinquish ownership of Hevee Hotel, located within Alafia Estate near the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, alongside funds in his United Bank for Africa account amounting to ₦14,160,655.35.
The ICPC subsequently filed a request for an in-rem forfeiture order at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi in December 2022. Justice T. G. Ringim granted an interim order in January 2023 and instructed the Commission to publicize the development. Notices were later published in national newspapers and a government gazette, after which the ICPC asked the court to issue a final order.
By March 2024, the court confirmed the full forfeiture of both the hotel and the funds to the Federal Government.
The matter resurfaced when the defendant’s wife sought to overturn the decision, alleging misconduct and asking the court to revisit the case. The ICPC opposed the application, arguing that the court had already concluded its role in the matter.
Delivering judgment on November 21, 2025, Justice Owoeye dismissed her challenge, stating that the court lacked the authority to reopen a matter already settled by a final forfeiture ruling. The court also held that the claims of fraud were unsupported by evidence.
The ICPC has welcomed the decision, describing it as a notable step in strengthening Nigeria’s asset recovery framework and reinforcing the legal standards guiding in-rem forfeiture proceedings under the ICPC Act.
