Nigeria’s Court of Appeal has affirmed the conviction of former Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL) boss, Maj.-Gen. Umar Mohammed, for stealing and misappropriating company funds—ordering him to refund more than $2.09 million and N1.65 billion.
The former general had challenged the verdict of a Special Court Martial that dismissed him from the army and sentenced him to prison in October 2023. But the appellate court ruled that the evidence against him was strong and his defence inconsistent.
A three-member panel of justices held that contradictions in Mohammed’s testimony undermined his credibility, especially his claim that the army’s property company never operated berthing services—despite documents he authored showing otherwise.
While the court upheld most of the court martial’s findings, it set aside counts related to forgery.
The case deepened earlier troubles for the ex-general. In August 2025, the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the final forfeiture of 245 million shares worth over N5 billion linked to him and businessman Kayode Filani, after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) traced the assets to alleged illicit activities during his tenure at NAPL.
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