Unseized Florida properties raise questions in Nigerian corruption case against former education official
Nigerian authorities have confiscated a vast array of assets linked to former education official Dibu Ojerinde and his immediate family, as part of ongoing corruption prosecutions. However, newly examined property records reveal that two residential properties in the United States, specifically in Florida, remain outside the scope of these seizures. This development has raised fresh concerns about the completeness and international reach of asset recovery efforts in one of Nigeria’s most prominent corruption cases in recent years.
Ojerinde, aged 78, stands accused of misappropriating at least 13.7 million dollars during his tenure in key education agencies, including the National Examinations Council and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board. Prosecutors allege that he exploited his leadership roles over nearly two decades to divert public funds for personal enrichment. The charges against him, first formalized in a 2021 indictment, include multiple counts of fraud, abuse of office, and diversion of government resources.
In parallel, a second indictment issued in 2023 expanded the scope of the investigation to include members of his family. His three sons – Adedayo Ojerinde, Olumide Ojerinde, and Oluwaseun Ojerinde – along with his daughter-in-law Mary Funmilola Ojerinde, have been charged with conspiracy and related financial crimes. Prosecutors claim that these individuals knowingly participated in efforts to conceal or manage assets derived from corrupt activities.
The Nigerian government, through its anti-corruption agency, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has already seized a substantial portfolio of assets linked to the family. These include a petrol station, several schools, hotels, luxury residential properties in Abuja, and equity........
