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Tongues are wagging over reports that FCT Minister Wike allegedly allocated over 2,000 hectares of prime Abuja land to his son
Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike is facing mounting allegations of massive land fraud after reportedly allocating over 2,000 hectares of prime Abuja land—valued at an estimated $3.6 billion—to his son, Joaquin Wike.
The allocations, revealed by Peoples Gazette, show that since assuming office in August 2023, Wike has used his position to prioritize land grants to immediate family members through questionable means, bypassing fees like ground rent, title registration, and survey charges. Legal experts and officials within his office say the move amounts to self-dealing and violates Nigeria’s code of conduct for public officers.
Documents reviewed show that Joaquin Wike—Wike’s younger son began receiving allocations just days after the registration of Joaq Farms and Estates Ltd in October 2024. Within a week of the company’s registration, Wike awarded it 350 hectares of land, followed by a flurry of other allocations across Maitama, Asokoro, Guzape, Gaduwa, Bwari, and Kwaita. By May 2025, at least 2,082 hectares had been formally allocated, with insiders suggesting the actual total exceeds 3,500 hectares.
Wike reportedly dismissed internal warnings from aides, claiming his intent was for his children to become Abuja’s largest landowners. Certificates of occupancy were swiftly issued to Joaq Farms, which drastically increased the lands’ commercial value. In Maitama and Asokoro alone, individual plots recently sold for over $1.2 million.
Insiders said Wike even reallocated land previously granted to Austria’s diplomatic mission and seized plots from private citizens, including a middle-class family who declined to speak publicly out of fear.
Joaquin Wike has maintained a low profile since finishing high school in 2020 but has been increasingly seen at public events with his father, who is said to be grooming his sons for political succession.
A spokesman for Wike, Lere Olayinka, claimed ignorance of the allegations and refused further comment.