By Newspot Nigeria News Desk
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has announced a major asset-recovery victory after a Federal High Court in Ikoyi ordered the final forfeiture of Hevee Hotel and N14,160,655.35 linked to the late Mr. Okon Tom Ekpo, a former ExxonMobil staff who obtained his job using fake academic credentials.
According to the Commission, Mr. Ekpo was found to have impersonated another individual in order to secure employment with ExxonMobil Producing Company. The development led to criminal charges at the Ikeja High Court. During plea bargain discussions, he offered to forfeit Hevee Hotel—located at Alafia Estate off the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway—and the funds in his UBA account.
Following this, ICPC filed an in rem forfeiture application on 9 December 2022. Interim forfeiture was granted on 13 January 2023 by Hon. Justice T. G. Ringim, with an order for newspaper and gazette publication. After full compliance, the court issued a final forfeiture order on 13 March 2024, transferring the assets to the Federal Government.
The defendant’s wife later challenged the ruling, alleging fraud. However, Justice Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, dismissed her application on 21 November 2025, holding that no evidence of fraud existed and that the court had already become functus officio.
The ICPC described the ruling as a milestone in strengthening in rem jurisprudence under Sections 47 and 48 of the ICPC Act 2000 and reaffirmed its commitment to asset recovery and anti-corruption enforcement.
INDEPENDENT CORRUPT PRACTICES AND OTHER RELATED OFFENCES COMMISSION (ICPC)
PRESS RELEASE
Monday 24th November, 2025
Court Orders Final Forfeiture of Hotel and N14 Million from Former ExxonMobil Staff in Fake Credentials Case
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) secured a final court order for the forfeiture of Hevee Hotel and the sum of N14,160,655.35, linked to a former ExxonMobil employee who was apprehended for using fake credentials.
The case involved the late Mr. Okon Tom Ekpo, a former staff member of ExxonMobil Producing Company. An ICPC investigation revealed that Mr. Ekpo had secured his employment by impersonating another individual and using his academic credentials to secure a job, leading to charges against him at the Ikeja High Court.
Mr. Ekpo entered into plea bargain discussions with the ICPC; offering to forfeit Hevee Hotel, located at Alafia Estate off the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, and the funds in his United Bank for Africa account. On 9 December 2022, the Commission filed an in Rem application for the forfeiture of the assets of the Defendant at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi.
On 13 January 2023, Hon. Justice T. G. Ringim granted an interim forfeiture order and directed the ICPC to publish notices of the order.
The Commission complied, publishing the notices in Leadership and The Sun newspapers, as well as in a national gazette on 16 March 2023. After filing an affidavit of compliance and a motion for final forfeiture, the court granted the final order on 13 March 2024, forfeiting the hotel and the N14.1 million to the Federal Government.
Subsequently, the defendant’s wife challenged the forfeiture, alleging fraud and seeking to set aside the court orders. The ICPC Legal Team, comprising Mrs. Yvonne William-Mbata, Mrs. Roseline Eze, and Mrs. Yemisi Pereira, argued that the court was now functus officio (having no further authority) on the matter and that all due processes had been properly followed.
In a ruling on 21 November 2025, Hon. Justice Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, had a landmark Judgment where he dismissed the application for lack of merit.
The court held that no evidence of fraud had been established and affirmed that it lacked jurisdiction to revisit a matter already determined by a final forfeiture order.
The ICPC has described this ruling as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s Judicial Precedent as regards In Rem proceedings in accordance with Sections 47 and 48 of the ICPC Act, 2000 and also asset-recovery efforts and its ongoing campaign against corruption.
Signed
J. Okor Odey, ANIPR
Spokesperson for the Commission
