President Bola Tinubu has reportedly ordered an investigation into alleged corruption and abuse of office by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, following reports that he granted lucrative land rights in Abuja to his son, Joaquin.
According to The Peoples Gazette, the directive was issued by the president on Thursday night, with further details of the probe taking shape by Friday afternoon.
“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.
“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 source added, speaking on condition of anonymity.
It remains unclear whether anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) would be involved. A spokesperson for Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, did not respond to requests for comment.
Sources suggest the president may have opted against a public announcement of the probe to avoid appearing hostile toward Wike, who has been widely praised for his oversight of federal infrastructure projects in the capital.
Anti-corruption advocate, Lanre Suraju, however, stressed the importance of transparency and independence in the investigation.
“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,” Suraju said. “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.”
The Gazette reported on Thursday that Wike had allocated about 2,082 hectares of prime land in the Federal Capital Territory to his son, through a company named Joaq Farms and Estates Ltd — an entity reportedly controlled by Joaquin Wike. Municipal officials estimated the land’s market value to exceed $3.6 billion.
Amid public outrage over the revelation, Minister Wike issued a statement claiming the lands were awarded to a company for agricultural purposes, without disclosing his son’s connection to the firm.
The minister further argued that no law prohibits him from granting land to family members, a claim that appears to contradict Article 5 of the Fifth Schedule of the Nigerian Constitution, which forbids public officials from using their office for personal gain.
When contacted on Friday, a spokesperson for the FCT Minister declined to comment on whether Mr. Wike would cooperate with the investigation.