ABUJA: Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has been accused of orchestrating a massive land scandal by allocating over 2,000 hectares of Abuja’s most valuable real estate estimated at $3.6 billion to his son, Joaquin Wike.
According to an exclusive report, the allocations were allegedly made shortly after Wike assumed office in August 2023, bypassing regulatory protocols and critical statutory fees.
The lands, reportedly distributed under the company name Joaq Farms and Estates Ltd, span Abuja’s most exclusive districts Maitama, Asokoro, Guzape, Bwari, and Gaduwa.
Sources revealed that Joaq Farms was registered on October 10, 2024, just days before receiving its first major land deal. By October 17, Wike had signed off on 350 hectares under the company’s name.
Documents show that the company’s address, 13 Thaba Tseka Street, Wuse II misspelled in official filings has links to the minister’s personal business fronts.
Further findings uncovered that Wike signed at least six certificates of occupancy in February 2025 for his son’s company and continued with more allocations as recently as May 30.
One aide quoted by the publication alleged, when we told him to slow down, he said he was just starting. His goal was to make his children the largest landowners in Abuja.
In a more brazen move, the report noted that Wike allegedly seized land previously owned by the Austrian Embassy in the Central Area and reassigned it to himself.
He also reportedly avoided paying mandatory fees such as ground rent, survey, and registration violating Nigeria’s Constitution and the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.
The estimated value of the allocated land is $3.6 billion, with officials stating that Joaquin Wike, who graduated high school in 2020, could conservatively earn billions in resale value alone.
Adding to the controversy, sources say five plots within the 2.3 hectares allocated in Gaduwa were taken from a private Nigerian family under duress.
Despite the staggering revelations, Wike’s spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, claimed no knowledge of the allocations: I am not aware of any development as such.
The scandal comes as FCT workers in key sectors remain unpaid for months and primary school teachers continue a strike over unpaid wages and the unimplemented ₦70,000 minimum wage. The disruption has kept pupils out of school since March 24, 2025.
In a related matter, the Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN) earlier accused Wike of reassigning land originally reserved for the National Railway Station to a private company, NY New Construction Ltd, in August 2024.
Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju had also previously accused the minister of arbitrarily grabbing land and displacing residents in Abuja.
Presidency insiders expressed alarm at the revelations but said President Tinubu may delay action until after the 2027 elections. One source bluntly stated, Wike is a serious liability to the Tinubu administration.
As pressure mounts, critics argue that the unchecked abuse of office under Wike threatens not just public trust but also Nigeria’s image in managing public assets transparently and equitably.
