Maj.-Gen. Umar Mohammed, a former Group Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited, was found guilty and sentenced for theft and misappropriation of company funds by the Court of Appeal.
Mohammed’s appeal contesting the Special Court Martial’s jurisdiction and the legitimacy of its verdict was dismissed by the appellate court in the Certified True Copy of the judgment.
On October 10, 2023, a Special Court Martial of the Nigerian Army tried Mohammed and found him guilty of offenses that bordered on theft and criminal misuse of Nigerian Army Properties Limited monies.
After being found guilty, he was expelled from the Nigerian Army, given a prison sentence, and required to reimburse the firm $2,099,700 and ₦1.65 billion.
On February 12, 2025, the former army officer filed a lawsuit with the Court of Appeal under suit number CA/ABJ/CR/383/2025, claiming that there was insufficient evidence to justify the conviction.
But the appeal was rejected by a panel of three justices, Abba Mohammed, Okon Abang, and Eberechi Nyesom-Wike.
The panel concluded that there was enough evidence to prove the offenses during the court martial.
The court determined that the Special Court Martial had good reason to reject Mohammed’s defense, according to the ruling made on Monday.
His testimony, according to the justices, was inconsistent and untrustworthy.
They pointed apparent inconsistencies in his assertion that Nigerian Army Properties Limited never provided berthing services, citing documents he wrote to the contrary.
The court determined that his credibility was damaged by these contradictions.
The Special Court Martial’s conviction and imprisonment on all counts—aside from forgery—were subsequently upheld by the appellate court.
In a related event, Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Lagos ordered the definitive seizure of shares worth over ₦5 billion that were linked to Mohammed and businessman Kayode Filani.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s application, which informed the court that the 245,568,137 shares were purchased using the proceeds of illegal actions carried out during Mohammed’s employment at NAPL, prompted the ruling.
Hanatu Kofanaisa, the EFCC’s counsel, told the court that Mohammed had already been found guilty on 14 of the 18 counts of stealing and related offenses by the Special Court Martial.
She added that no complaints had been raised and that the commission had complied with all legal criteria for final forfeiture, including the required newspaper notice.
Judge Dipeolu granted the application, ruling that the EFCC had proven its case and directing Nigerian Army Properties Limited to have the shares permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The application was filed in accordance with Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution.
