N1.65bn fraud: Appeal Court upholds conviction of ex-Army General
Court Affirms Conviction of Former Army Director for Financial Crimes
The Court of Appeal has upheld the conviction and sentencing of Maj.-Gen. Umar Mohammed, the former Group Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), for theft and misappropriation of company funds.
In an official ruling released on Monday, the appellate court dismissed Mohammed’s appeal, which contested the authority of the Nigerian Army’s Special Court Martial and questioned the validity of its decision. The Special Court Martial had found Mohammed guilty on October 10, 2023, of charges related to the theft and misappropriation of funds belonging to NAPL.
Following his conviction, Mohammed was discharged from the Nigerian Army and sentenced to prison. He was also ordered to repay $2,099,700 and 1.65 billion Naira to the company.
Dissatisfied with the court’s decision, Mohammed filed an appeal on February 12, 2025, arguing that the conviction lacked sufficient and credible evidence.
A three-member panel, comprised of Justices Abba Mohammed, Okon Abang, and Eberechi Nyesom-Wike, rejected this appeal, asserting that the evidence presented during the initial trial substantiated the charges against him.
The court noted that Mohammed’s defense was inconsistent and unreliable, highlighting contradictions in his testimony, especially regarding his claim that NAPL did not operate berthing services. This assertion conflicted with documentation he authored, which indicated otherwise, thereby undermining his credibility.
The Court of Appeal affirmed the conviction and sentence handed down by the Special Court Martial on all charges except those pertaining to forgery.
Separately, the News Agency of Nigeria reported that on August 2025, Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the final forfeiture of shares valued at over 5 billion Naira, linked to Mohammed and businessman Kayode Filani.
This ruling followed an application from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which informed the court that the shares were acquired through illegal activities during Mohammed’s tenure. EFCC counsel Hanatu Kofanaisa confirmed that the commission met all legal requirements for the forfeiture, including mandatory public notice, and no objections were raised.
Justice Dipeolu ruled that the EFCC adequately established its case, leading to the permanent forfeiture of the shares to the Federal Government in favor of Nigerian Army Properties Limited. The application was submitted in accordance with Section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
