A staff member of the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS), Mairiga Hassan Shaharu, has been arrested by police in what many are calling an alarming crackdown following reports that linked FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to controversial land allocations in Abuja.
Shaharu, who works in the Fresh Applications Unit of AGIS — the agency responsible for managing land records in the FCT — was picked up on Tuesday afternoon by a team of detectives. His sudden disappearance has left family members deeply worried, with no official word on his whereabouts more than 24 hours later.
“We don’t know where he is. Nobody has seen him. We’re just praying he’s safe,” a relative told The Gazette, fighting back tears.
Police have confirmed the arrest but declined to give further details, saying only that more information would be shared “later.”
The arrest comes on the heels of explosive reports alleging that Minister Wike allocated over 3,800 hectares of prime Abuja land — valued at approximately $6.45 billion — to his sons, Jordan and Joaquin, aged 25 and 23, respectively. The documents, reportedly leaked from within the minister’s own office, have sparked nationwide outrage and a flurry of political reactions.
Insiders within AGIS say they’re afraid that Shaharu is being used as a scapegoat in a witch-hunt to uncover whoever exposed the alleged land scandal.
“He didn’t leak anything,” said one colleague. “But because he processes new applications, they’ve decided to go after him. The real source of the leak isn’t even from his department.”
Some officials also painted a picture of growing paranoia within the FCT minister’s camp. According to one insider, Wike has been visibly shaken since the documents surfaced — and is reportedly lashing out at staff and even close family members.
“He’s losing control. He curses everyone around him. He’s been drinking more heavily, even fighting with his wife,” the source alleged.
The Minister’s wife, Justice Eberechi Nyesom-Wike, serves on Nigeria’s federal appellate court.
So far, there’s been no official response from Wike’s media team regarding Shaharu’s arrest or the growing allegations.
Meanwhile, the backlash over the alleged land allocations continues to build. While some fringe groups have tried to dismiss the exposé as politically motivated, many Nigerians are demanding transparency, accountability, and protection for whistleblowers.
“This is not just about land,” a civil society advocate said. “It’s about power being abused in broad daylight, and innocent citizens being punished to protect the powerful.”
As the pressure mounts, all eyes are now on AGIS, the FCT police, and the Tinubu-led federal government to ensure that justice — and not vengeance — prevails.
