
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is at the center of a growing scandal following revelations that he allegedly allocated over 2,000 hectares of prime Abuja land — valued at an estimated $3.6 billion — to his son, Joaquin Wike.
According to an investigation by Peoples Gazette, the allocations span across some of Abuja’s most exclusive districts, including Maitama, Asokoro, Guzape, and other strategic locations. Internal documents and testimonies from officials within the FCT administration suggest the minister acted in clear conflict with public interest and good governance norms.
Last Christmas, Mr. Wike publicly dismissed allegations that he was grabbing land through a controversial clampdown on dormant allocations. He challenged Nigerians to provide evidence of any wrongdoing. However, the newly uncovered records now raise serious concerns about what critics are calling “mindless looting” of public assets.
While Nigeria’s land administration laws do not explicitly forbid a minister from allocating land to family members, ethics codes — including provisions in the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution — prohibit public officers from engaging in self-dealing or using their office for personal gain.
Two senior officials in the FCT administration told Peoples Gazette that the transactions approved for Joaquin Wike were “systemic and excessive,” and constitute a clear abuse of office. Notably, no payments were recorded for ground rent, title registration, or survey fees — statutory charges required for land allocations.
Certificates of occupancy reviewed by The Gazette indicate that Joaquin, the younger of Wike’s two sons, now holds titles to land parcels equivalent to 40,000 plots. In high-value districts like Maitama and Asokoro, where land prices currently range from $1.2 million to $1.4 million per plot, the financial implications of these allocations are staggering.