President Bola Tinubu has reportedly ordered a formal investigation into Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike over allegations of corruption and abuse of office following revelations that he allocated over 2,000 hectares of prime Abuja land to his son, Joaquin.
According to reports , Tinubu issued the directive on Thursday night, with key details of the probe finalized 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.
Sources from the State House confirmed that the probe would be coordinated by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), although it remains unclear whether anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC or ICPC will be involved.
“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, speaking anonymously to discuss the sensitive investigation.
A spokesperson for SGF George Akume did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the development.
Insiders suggest Tinubu may have opted for a quiet probe to avoid appearing publicly confrontational with Wike, a prominent figure in his administration who has drawn praise for his handling of federal infrastructure projects in the FCT.
Still, anti-corruption campaigners are calling for a transparent and thorough process.
“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 Wike,” said activist Lanre Suraju. “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 controversy, which was first published by The Gazette, alleged that Wike allocated approximately 2,082 hectares of land—valued at over \$3.6 billion—to his son, Joaquin, through a firm named Joaq Farms and Estates Ltd.
Wike responded to the backlash by claiming the lands were granted for agricultural purposes, without disclosing that the company belonged to his son.
He also defended his actions, stating that there were no laws barring him from granting land rights to family members.
However, legal experts point to Article 5 of the Fifth Schedule of the Nigerian Constitution, which forbids public officers from using their position for personal gain– a clause that could become central in the ongoing investigation.
