Businessman Petitions EFCC Over Alleged $2.1 Million Land Deal, Says Wike’s Son Claimed Father’s Approval

Jordan Nyesom-Wike (left) shaking hands with his father, FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike 

A businessman named Safwan Garba, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations that Jordan Nyesom-Wike, son of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, collected $2.1 million on the promise of facilitating the allocation of 60 hectares of land in Abuja.

In the petition dated December 11, 2025, and signed by their lawyer, Hamza Dantani, the petitioners alleged that Jordan claimed to have his father’s approval to facilitate the acquisition of 30 hectares of land each in Katampe and Guzape districts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

They accused him of fraud, obtaining money by false pretences, criminal misappropriation and conversion of the funds allegedly paid for the proposed land allocations.

According to the petition, Jordan reinforced his claims by placing a telephone call to his father in the businessman’s presence, ostensibly to inform him about the proposed transaction.

“Our client met Jordan Nyesom-Wike in London, following which the two developed a rapport,” the petition stated.

It added that after returning to Nigeria about three months before the petition was filed, Jordan met with the businessman and offered to facilitate the acquisition of land in the FCT.

The petitioners alleged that Jordan represented himself as someone who routinely facilitated land allocations and had the knowledge and approval of the FCT minister.

“To strengthen these representations, Jordan placed a telephone call to his father in the presence of our client, ostensibly informing him of the intended transaction,” the petition stated.

The businessman further alleged that Jordan promised to secure 30 hectares of land in Katampe and another 30 hectares in Guzape.

The petition claimed that Jordan demanded and received $2 million, allegedly to be delivered to his father to facilitate the allocations, while an additional $100,000 was paid as his personal facilitation fee.

The payments, totalling $2.1 million, were allegedly made in cash on October 17, 2025, at Jordan’s insistence and in the presence of two witnesses, Adamu Sani and Aliyu Sarki.

According to the petition, Jordan was accompanied by one Onor Sandy, whom he introduced as his friend and associate.

The petitioners alleged that Jordan promised to deliver the land allocations within one month but failed to fulfil the agreement after receiving the money.

They further claimed that he subsequently became unreachable, adding that the United Kingdom telephone number he had provided was no longer accessible, and that efforts to contact him through individuals known to the minister had proved unsuccessful.

Based on these allegations, the businessman urged the EFCC to investigate Jordan, arrest and interrogate him, and, if the investigation established criminal liability, prosecute him.

The petition cited alleged offences, including obtaining by false pretences under Section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, fraud, criminal misappropriation, and conversion of funds.

The petitioner also expressed readiness to provide witnesses and other information that could assist the commission in its investigation.

The petition reportedly included an acknowledgement of payment, signed by Jordan Wike, as supporting evidence.

Speaking to journalists at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, Ibrahim Waru, counsel to the claimants, said the EFCC had acknowledged receipt of the petition but had yet to take action.

Waru explained that the petition was intended to trigger an investigation into the alleged criminal aspects of the dispute, which he said were separate from the civil proceedings already before the FCT High Court.

Meanwhile, the FCT High Court has fixed December 1 for the continuation of the hearing in the civil suit, marked CV/008/2026, filed by the claimants against Jordan.

Jordan has denied the allegations, telling the court that he was not in Nigeria on the date the claimants allege they handed him the money.

To support his position, he tendered his international passport, maintaining that he travelled outside Nigeria with his American passport during the period in question.

The dispute has also prompted a separate move by the claimants, who petitioned the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, seeking Justice Silvanus Oriji’s removal from the case over an alleged relationship with the minister’s family.

The allegations against Jordan remain the petitioners’ claims, while the civil proceedings and the reported EFCC petition are separate processes. Any criminal liability would be subject to investigation and determination by the appropriate authorities and courts.