Justice Emeka Nwite gave the ruling on Monday following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The aircraft, bearing serial number 258553 and registration number 5N-AMK, was ordered forfeited to the Federal Government after the court found insufficient evidence to prove the lawful origin of funds used for its purchase.

The judge held that Valiente Jet Limited, a company linked to Abdulsalam Mustapha Kachallah, failed to establish that the money used in acquiring the jet was legitimately sourced.

He further noted that the involvement of a Bureau De Change operator, who allegedly denied knowledge of the transaction, raised further suspicion about the deal.

The court had earlier granted an interim forfeiture order on November 13, 2025, directing the EFCC to publish the order to allow interested parties to contest it. Valiente Jet Limited later filed affidavits opposing the forfeiture.

In an affidavit, EFCC investigator Aminu Abdullahi linked Kachallah to conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, and money laundering. He alleged that contracts worth over $114m and ₦23.1bn were awarded in 2021 under the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

The EFCC further alleged that Kachallah, who served on the project steering committee and chaired the Borno State Rural Electrification Board, exploited his position to influence contract awards and share privileged bidding information with China Machinery Engineering Company (CMEC) in exchange for financial benefits.

According to the commission, CMEC was later awarded contracts worth over $52m and ₦20.2bn, with funds allegedly routed through Afuwa Integrated Services Limited under the guise of subcontracting arrangements.

The agency also alleged that $2.07m was transferred into the company’s account on Kachallah’s instruction, with forged invoices used to disguise the transactions as legitimate consultancy services.

Investigators claimed the funds were eventually moved to Brazil to purchase the aircraft, which was later registered under Valiente Jet Limited.

During the hearing, Kachallah’s lawyer, M.E. Oru (SAN), argued that his client was not directly tied to the companies involved and challenged some of the EFCC’s documents. However, EFCC counsel Iheanacho Ekele (SAN) insisted that courts can lift the corporate veil in cases involving fraud.

After reviewing arguments from both sides, Justice Nwite ruled that the evidence supported a final forfeiture of the aircraft, ordering it permanently seized by the Federal Government.