Just In: Court Finally Orders Forfeiture of Private Jet Tied to Borno APC Rep Aspirant Over NNPC Power Project Fraud

Just In: Court Finally Orders Forfeiture of Private Jet
Tied to Borno APC Rep Aspirant Over NNPC Power Project Fraud

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, May 18, 2026, ordered the final forfeiture of a Hawker 800XP private jet to the Federal Government over its alleged link to fraud and money laundering tied to the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project.

Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order after ruling that Valiente Jet Limited, owned by Abdulsalam Mustapha Kachallah, failed to prove the lawful origin of the funds used to purchase the aircraft.

Kachallah is an APC House of Representatives aspirant and former Chairman of the Borno State Rural Electrification Board.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission secured the forfeiture following an application before the court. The jet, with registration number 5N-AMK and serial number 258553, was traced to proceeds allegedly diverted from the $114m and ₦23.2bn MEPP contracts awarded by NNPC Ltd in 2021.

According to EFCC investigator Aminu Abdullahi, Kachallah, while serving on the project’s steering committee, allegedly used his position to engage in illicit dealings.

The Commission said he sold confidential bidding information to China Machinery Engineering Company, CMEC, which later won three contracts worth over $52m and ₦20.2bn.

Investigators said $2.07m from the contracts was routed through Afuwa Integrated Services Limited, a Bureau De Change operator, on Kachallah’s instruction.

The funds were used to purchase the aircraft from a Brazilian company, with forged invoices created to disguise the transaction. Ownership was later transferred to Valiente Jet Limited.

The court had granted an interim forfeiture order on Nov. 13, 2025, and directed the EFCC to publish it for interested parties to show cause.

Valiente Jet Limited filed affidavits opposing the final forfeiture, but Justice Nwite held that the company did not provide sufficient evidence.

EFCC counsel Iheanacho Ekele, SAN, argued that Kachallah’s actions violated the ICPC Act and Money Laundering Act, while defense counsel M.E. Oru, SAN, maintained that Kachallah was separate from the companies involved and challenged the admissibility of some evidence.

The court dismissed the objections and ordered the jet forfeited to the Federal Government.

The EFCC said the case stems from its ongoing probe into the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project.