Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is back in the spotlight — and not for the right reasons. Fresh revelations show that the former Rivers State Governor secretly bought a $2 million mansion in Florida, United States, and allegedly concealed ownership by registering it in the names of his wife, Justice Eberechi Wike, and their three children, Joaquin, Jazmyne, and Jordan.
According to documents obtained by West Africa Weekly, the property was quietly secured in March 2025. The house, located at 113 Spring Creek Lane, Winter Springs, Florida, is a two-storey mansion built on a spacious lot with multiple bedrooms, a garage, and dedicated parking spaces. On paper, it looks like a normal family purchase, but critics say the deal raises red flags.
What makes this case even more troubling is that Justice Wike, a serving judicial officer, is a registered member of the U.S. Democratic Party — a direct violation of Nigeria’s Judicial Code of Conduct, which forbids judges from partisan political involvement. Her involvement in the deal not only compromises her impartiality but also breaches multiple rules guiding judicial officers in Nigeria.
Beyond that, questions are swirling about the money trail. Wike’s official annual salary and allowances are barely N7.8 million (around $5,000). So how does a public servant on that income afford a mansion worth over $2 million abroad? Analysts and civil society groups are already hinting at possible illicit enrichment and money laundering.
This is not the only controversy hanging over Wike. Just weeks ago, he was linked to a massive $3.6 billion FCT land-grab scandal allegedly facilitated through his son, Joaquin. Documents also show he approved the allocation of prime Abuja lands to his relatives, including his 90-year-old father, nephews, cousins, and even friends. Some of these lands are worth hundreds of millions of naira each.
Critics say the revelations paint a picture of a man who has turned public office into a family business. On the flip side, the U.S. itself hasn’t been spared criticism. Observers argue that while Washington publicly lectures Nigeria on corruption, its real estate market appears to be a safe haven for laundering questionable funds from officials like Wike.
For now, the scandal raises fresh doubts about the Tinubu administration’s seriousness in tackling corruption, especially when one of its key ministers is at the center of such damning allegations.
