In a landmark ruling that has stirred conversations across the UK Nigerian diaspora, the UK High Court has ordered the seizure of a #Leeds property currently occupied by Nigeria-born Abigail Katung, the Lord Mayor of Leeds.

The decision, granted to the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), cited concerns over the source of funds used to acquire the property—funds that the court believes were likely transferred using informal and unregulated financial channels from Nigeria.

A Dream Interrupted

Abigail Katung, who hails from Zaria in Kaduna State, is a well-known figure in Leeds. She made history in 2024 as the first Black woman and first person of African descent to become Lord Mayor of the city. Her journey from a Nigerian student in the UK to one of the highest ceremonial positions in Leeds inspired many in the Nigerian-British community.

However, her name now finds itself in headlines for an entirely different reason. On 6 June 2025, a UK High Court ruling concluded that the £400,000 deposit made on the £1 million property she and her family reside in was not sufficiently explained or legally justified. As a result, the entire property was declared “recoverable” under the UK’s Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) and is to be taken over by the NCA.

The Nigerian Connection

The core of the court’s concern lies in how the deposit was financed and transferred. According to court documents, #Katung stated that the funds were sourced partly by her husband, Nigerian Senator Sunday Katung, who at the time had just been elected into the House of Representatives in 2015.

Katung told the court that due to foreign exchange restrictions in Nigeria, her husband secured a loan of N120 million (approximately £400,000 at the time) and relied on Bureau de Change (BDC) operators to convert and send the money to the UK via unofficial channels. The money landed in a Barclays account belonging to 1st Resource, a company she owns.

But the judge wasn’t convinced.

Despite submitting partial bank statements and a letter from one “Honey Oil Interbiz Ltd”—a company that claimed to be a licensed BDC—the court found inconsistencies. Investigators said there was no evidence that Honey Oil was even licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria at the time. What’s more, there was no witness statement from Senator Katung, and a notable lack of documentation to back the origin and movement of the funds.

No Criminal Allegation, But Serious Consequences

Importantly, the court did not accuse Mrs Katung of criminal activity or suggest that she knew about the shady dealings of the property’s original owner, Mansoor Hussain, a convicted money launderer for Northern England crime groups.

However, under UK law, even if the property was acquired unknowingly through proceeds of unlawful transactions or suspect financial movements, it can still be seized. And so it was.

In the judge’s own words: “I do not find that she was cognisant of what Mr Hussain was up to… But she failed to provide a properly evidenced account of the origin of the funds used for the deposit.”

Implications for Nigerians in the UK

This case strikes a chord for many Nigerians abroad—particularly those navigating the complexities of cross-border finance, foreign property ownership, and the thin line between naivety and regulatory non-compliance.

While Katung’s rise symbolised the success of Nigerian immigrants integrating and excelling in UK society, her fall into controversy reminds many in the diaspora of the fragile balance between ambition and the legal frameworks of their host countries.

It also raises broader questions about Nigeria’s financial ecosystem and the reliance on unofficial currency exchanges (BDC channels) by even the elite and politically connected.

A Teachable Moment

For aspiring property owners, politicians, and professionals alike, the Katung case serves as a stark warning: in an increasingly transparent global system, undocumented or informal financial practices—even when culturally “normal”—can come at great cost abroad.

As the NCA now moves to seize the home and possibly pursue further financial remedies, one thing is clear—for many Nigerians abroad, even innocent oversights can lead to irreversible consequences.