Nigeria, Sept. 15 -- A London tribunal has blocked an audacious move by Mike Ozekhome, a prominent Nigerian lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, to take ownership of a house in North London.

The judgment, delivered on 11 September by Judge Ewan Paton of the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), brings to an end nearly four years of extraordinary courtroom drama, marked by allegations of forgery, impersonation, phantom identities, and conflicting testimonies.

In August 2021, Mr Ozekhome applied to transfer the property at 79 Randall Avenue, Neasden, into his name. He claimed it was a gift from a man who presented himself as Mr Tali Shani, said to be the property's owner, in appreciation for legal services.

But the application was ch...