In 2022, Useni admitted being ‘Tim Shani’ — same person linked to Ozekhome in ICPC trial

Useni

In October 2022, a Royal Court in Jersey Island, United Kingdom, ordered the forfeiture of nearly £2 million linked to Jeremiah Useni, a retired lieutenant-general who served as minister of the federal capital territory (FCT) and governor of the now defunct Bendel state in the 1980s and 1990s.

Useni, whose middle name is Timbut, first opened an account with ANZ Grindlay’s Bank (now Standard Chartered Bank), Jersey in March 1986 in the name of ‘Mr Tim Shani’.

The initial account opening for ‘Mr Shani’ was done by Selcan Miner, an existing customer of the bank.

At that time, there were no “Know Your Customer” rules, and it was possible to open a numbered account, which replaced the identity of the account holder with a multi-digit number, allowing for greater client confidentiality. Over the next 15 years, money totalling £1.9m was transferred into four accounts held by ‘Mr Shani’ with the bank.

In 2001, the bank wrote to Useni – believing him to be ‘Mr Shani’ – informing him that changes to anti-money laundering legislation in Jersey had resulted in stricter regulations, including the need to have a certified copy of his passport.

In response, six months later, ‘Mr Shani’ requested that the entire balance in his existing accounts be transferred to a Nigerian bank, in which it transpires that Useni was a shareholder.

This request was rejected, and the account was refused permission to operate in February 2003.

Useni made several failed efforts to unfreeze the account and eventually identified himself as the true owner of the Shani accounts in 2007.

He told Standard Chartered that his wealth came from businesses in transport, hospitality, petrol stations, property, farming, and savings, and that he opened a Jersey account for “security.” When pressed for documentation, he gave vague details about his assets but no proof of income from the 1980s and 1990s. He claimed he did not use a false name but a “coded password name” advised by others for his own “protection”.