President Tinubu orders investigation into Minister Wike over alleged land scandal involving his son

President Bola Tinubu has ordered an investigation into Abuja Minister Nyesom Wike over claims of corruption and abuse of office, according to a report by Naijausers 

Sources from the State House said the president gave the order on Thursday night, but full details were finalized by Friday afternoon.

“The president found the reports about the minister’s activities suspicious and called for a probe to find out if he had used his position to enrich himself illegally,” a presidential aide told Naijausers 

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF)’s office is expected to coordinate the investigation. The official, who asked to remain anonymous, also said citizens are encouraged to report any misconduct they notice in government.

It is not yet clear whether the EFCC or ICPC will be part of the investigation, and it could take several months to complete. The spokesperson for the SGF, George Akume, did not respond when contacted for comments.

Another insider explained that the probe was not announced publicly because the president didn’t want it to seem like he was openly fighting Wike, who has received praise for his work on infrastructure in Abuja.

However, anti-corruption activist Lanre Suraju urged the government to take the investigation seriously and be open with the process. He said investigations like these often fail and should include professional investigators who can examine company records and do forensic analysis.

The scandal started after The Gazette reported on Thursday that Minister Wike had given out over 2,000 hectares of valuable land in Abuja to his son, Joaquin. Municipal officials said the land could be worth more than \$3.6 billion.

In response to public anger, Wike released a statement saying the land was meant for farming and was given to a company. However, he did not mention that the company, Joaq Farms and Estates Ltd, is owned by his son.

Wike also said there was no law stopping him from giving land to his family, but this goes against Nigeria’s Constitution, which bans public officials from using their positions for personal gain.

When asked if Wike would cooperate with the investigation, his spokesperson refused to comment.