Abuja, Nigeria — May 18, 2026
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a final forfeiture order for a Hawker 800XP private jet linked to alleged fraud, corruption, and money laundering connected to the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project (MEPP).
The order was granted on Monday by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja.
The aircraft, identified as a Hawker private jet 125 with serial number 258553 and registration number 5N-AMK, was forfeited to the Federal Government following an application filed by the EFCC.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that Valiente Jet Limited, a company owned by Abdulsalam Mustapha Kachallah, failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify why the aircraft should not be permanently forfeited.
“The interested party has not demonstrated with evidence the lawful origin of the funds used to purchase the aircraft,” the judge ruled.
Justice Nwite further noted that the manner in which the aircraft was acquired, allegedly through the name of a Bureau De Change operator who denied knowledge of the transaction, strengthened suspicions surrounding the legitimacy of the deal.
The court had earlier granted an interim forfeiture order on November 13, 2025, directing the EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper for interested parties to show cause why the aircraft should not be permanently forfeited.
Following the publication, Valiente Limited, owned by Alhaji Abdulsalam Mustapha Kachallah, filed affidavits challenging the forfeiture. However, the EFCC, through an affidavit deposed to by investigator Aminu Abdullahi, presented evidence supporting the final forfeiture application.
According to the EFCC, investigations began after the commission received intelligence reports alleging conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, and money laundering involving Kachallah.
The investigation revealed that in 2021, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited awarded contracts under the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project valued at $114.1 million and over ₦23.1 billion.
Kachallah, who reportedly served as chairman of the Borno State Rural Electrification Board and was also a member of the project’s steering committee, allegedly exploited his position and connections with officials of the NNPCL to engage in illicit transactions tied to the project.
The EFCC alleged that Kachallah entered unlawful agreements with China Machinery Engineering Company through companies in which he had substantial interests and sold confidential bidding information relating to the project in exchange for financial inducements.
Investigators said CMEC was subsequently awarded three contracts under the project valued at over $52.1 million and more than ₦20.2 billion.
Part of the contract proceeds, according to the EFCC, was routed through Afuwa Integrated Services Limited, a Bureau De Change operator, under the false pretext that the company had been subcontracted by CMEC.
The anti-graft agency disclosed that CMEC transferred $2.07 million into the Stanbic IBTC Bank account of Afuwa Integrated Services Limited on Kachallah’s instruction.
The commission further alleged that forged invoices were prepared in the name of Afuwa Integrated Services Limited to create the impression that legitimate services had been rendered to CMEC.
According to the EFCC, the funds were later transferred to a Brazilian account and used to purchase the aircraft from a Brazilian company.
