President Bola Tinubu has ordered an investigation into Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, following allegations that he allocated thousands of hectares of land in Abuja to his son, Joaquin.
The move came after reports claimed that the land, covering over 2,000 hectares, could be worth more than $3.6 billion.
The order was given on Thursday night, but the process was not fully concluded until Friday afternoon, People’s Gazette reports.
According to officials at the Presidency, the investigation will be coordinated by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
While it remains unclear if agencies like the EFCC or ICPC will be part of the probe, the inquiry could take several months.
“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.
The controversy began when it was revealed that Wike had approved a large portion of land in the Federal Capital Territory in the name of a company reportedly owned by his son, Joaq Farms and Estates Ltd.
Public outrage followed, with many accusing the minister of using his position for personal interest.
In response, Wike issued a statement saying the land was given for agricultural purposes and denied any wrongdoing.
He did not mention that the company was linked to his son.
He also insisted that no law prevents him from awarding land to a family member.
However, this claim contradicts the Nigerian Constitution, which warns against the use of public office for private benefit.
Presidency officials noted that the silence surrounding the probe may have been deliberate to avoid public friction between Tinubu and Wike.
Wike has often been credited for overseeing key federal projects in the FCT.
When asked about Wike’s willingness to cooperate, his spokesperson declined to comment.
What did the president expect from wike? Wike is a greedy politicians in Nigeria