A Lagos lawyer, Mr Kayode Oladipupo Filani has faulted media reports linking him to a court ordered forfeiture of assets traced to a former Nigerian Army Properties Director, Major General Mohammed Umar.
Filani, who exhibited the order of court before select journalists, said it showed that neither he nor his company was listed in the court proceeding. He said it was a wonder therefore that his name could have featured in news stories about the sezire that went viral.
Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court had, on August 26, 2025 granted a forfeiture order on some properties traced to the now disgraced former Army Director, wherein names of 26 companies and shares allegedly belonging to the man were listed.
The court papers showed that none of the companies belonged to Filani. His name also did not appear in the court papers. But mysteriously, his name featured in media reports of the matter.
Reacting to the news reports linking his name to the final forfeiture, Filani said: “My name was not mentioned, so I wonder why it had to be smuggled in. However, I remained unshaken because God is on his throne, and whoever might have masterminded the inclusion of my name will not go unpunished. I don’t own any of the shares in any of the listed companies. It was just a failed attempt to malign my name”.
