The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured a final forfeiture order on a Hawker 125 private jet allegedly linked to fraud, corruption and money laundering connected to the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project.

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court granted the order on Monday at the court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, following an application filed by the EFCC.

The aircraft, identified as a Hawker 800XP with serial number 258553 and registration number 5N-AMK, was ordered forfeited to the Federal Government after the court ruled that no sufficient explanation had been provided regarding the source of funds used for its acquisition.

In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that Valiente Jet Limited, a company linked to Abdulsalam Mustapha Kachallah, failed to demonstrate the lawful origin of the money used in purchasing the aircraft.

The judge further noted that the jet was acquired through a disguised transaction involving a Bureau De Change operator who reportedly denied knowledge of the true nature of the deal, a development the court said reinforced suspicions surrounding the transaction.

The court had earlier issued an interim forfeiture order on November 13, 2025, directing the commission to publish the order in a national newspaper to allow interested parties show cause why the aircraft should not be permanently forfeited.

Following the publication, Valiente Jet Limited, owned by Alhaji Abdulsalam Mustapha Kachallah, filed affidavits opposing the forfeiture.

According to an affidavit deposed to by EFCC investigator, Aminu Abdullahi, the commission received intelligence reports bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretence and money laundering involving Kachallah.

Investigations revealed that in 2021, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited awarded contracts under the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project valued at over 114 million dollars and more than 23 billion naira.

Kachallah, who served as Chairman of the Borno State Rural Electrification Board and was also a member of the project steering committee, was alleged to have used his position to engage in illicit transactions tied to the project.

The EFCC alleged that he entered unlawful agreements with China Machinery Engineering Company through companies in which he had substantial interests and supplied confidential bidding information in exchange for financial benefits.

Investigators said the Chinese firm later secured three contracts under the project worth over 52 million dollars and more than 20 billion naira.

Part of the funds, according to the commission, was routed through Afuwa Integrated Services Limited, a Bureau De Change operator, under the claim that the company had been subcontracted by CMEC.

The EFCC said CMEC transferred 2.07 million dollars 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 the company to create the impression that legitimate services had been rendered.

Investigators said the funds were later transferred to a Brazilian account used to purchase the aircraft from a Brazilian company.

The EFCC also alleged that Kachallah used Afuwa Integrated Services Limited to acquire the aircraft before allegedly forging documents to transfer ownership to Valiente Jet Limited.