President Tinubu has ordered a probe of Wike over $3.6 billion Abuja land grant to his son.
Newsone Nigeria understands that President Bola Tinubu has ordered an investigation into the apparent corruption and abuse of office by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nyesom Wike.
State House sources said the president issued the directive on Thursday night, although details were not finalised until Friday afternoon, June 27, 2025, The Peoples Gazette reports.
“The president agreed that the minister’s activity as reported in the media was suspicious and ordered a probe to determine if he had illegally enriched himself,” a presidential aide told The Gazette by telephone on Friday afternoon.
“The SGF’s office would be coordinating the probe, and we encourage anyone who may have seen any wrongdoing in government to always bring such to the attention of the administration,” the official added under anonymity to discuss an investigation.
The report said the official did not immediately say whether anti-graft departments, such as the EFCC and ICPC, would be involved in the inquiry, which could last several months. A spokesman for the SGF, George Akume, did not immediately return a request seeking comment about the development.
Another source said the probe might not have been announced because the president didn’t want to be seen as being antagonistic towards Mr Wike, who has received recognition for his handling of federal projects across the nation’s capital.
However, anti-corruption activist Lanre Suraju said the probe should be rigorous and transparent to prevent a repeat of the futility that characterised such inquiries in the past.
“That is most astonishing, but we need to be careful, going by past experiences of camaraderie and solidarity in public office and the president’s several public praises of Mr Wike,” Mr Suraju said of the investigation. “Such panels need to make public their process and involve the services of seasoned investigators from law enforcement agencies in conducting investigations, including forensic and CAC registry analysis.”
Newsone recalls that a report by The Gazette on Thursday stated that Wike had allocated lucrative lands across the FCT to one of his sons, Joaquin. The minister acquired approximately 2,082 hectares of land in his son’s name, with municipal officials stating that the assets could be sold for over $3.6 billion.
Following public outrage, Wike stated via his media aide, Lere Olayinka, that the lands were awarded to a company for farming purposes without saying that the company, Joaq Farms and Estates Ltd, belonged to his son.
FCT Minister Wike also stated that no laws barred him from granting land rights to his family members. This assertion contradicts Article 5 of the Fifth Schedule of the Nigerian Constitution, which prohibits the use of public office for personal gain.
Asked if his principal would cooperate with the investigation, a spokesman for FCT Minister Wike declined to comment on Friday afternoon.
