Allegations Rock FCT: Wike’s Aide Accused of Forgery, Illegal Detention Over Leaked Land Scandal Involving Minister’s Sons

Fresh controversy has erupted within Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) as Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the FCT, faces damning allegations of illegal land allocations to his children amid accusations that his Chief Security Officer (CSO) used a forged court order to detain a whistleblower.

Mairiga Hassan Shaharu, a staff of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), was reportedly detained after documents leaked to the media revealed questionable land allocations by Wike to his sons through a company linked to his family, Joaq Farms and Estates Ltd.

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, disclosed that Mairiga was unlawfully held at the FCDA Police Post last Friday, allegedly on the orders of Wike’s CSO. The detention was reportedly based on a court order from a magistrate who no longer serves in the stated jurisdiction raising serious concerns about forgery and abuse of office.

Despite Mairiga’s limited access to land-related approvals, he was blamed for the leak published by Peoples Gazette, which exposed over 2,000 hectares of prime Abuja real estate allegedly allocated by Wike to his sons across Maitama, Guzape, Asokoro, Bwari, and Gaduwa, bypassing legal procedures and critical payment obligations.

Sowore, who visited the police post with three lawyers, revealed that efforts to secure Mairiga’s release were thwarted, with police officials claiming he was Wike’s “personal detainee.” When challenged, Wike’s CSO reportedly offered to arrange a meeting between the minister, Sowore, and the detained staff but later backtracked, saying the matter was now in the hands of the FCT Police Commissioner, CP Wale Ajao.

Calls to CP Ajao were allegedly met with deflection, as he insisted the detention was legal despite revelations the court order was fake.

“This is a flagrant abuse of power. Instead of investigating Wike’s land grab scandal, his aides are harassing and jailing innocent civil servants,” Sowore said. “If the land allocations never happened, why is anyone being detained for leaking documents that supposedly don’t exist?”

The original report by Peoples Gazette detailed how Wike allocated land through Joaq Farms just days after it was registered, skipping ground rent and survey fees, in violation of Nigeria’s Constitution. Some of the lands were allegedly seized from embassies and middle-class families, while thousands of FCTA workers remain unpaid, and public school teachers have been on strike since March.

The Presidency is reportedly aware but hesitant to act, as Wike continues to grow his influence within the Tinubu administration.