Police arrest AGIS staff over Wike’s alleged $6.45bn land allocations

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A staff member of the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), Mairiga Hassan Shaharu, has been arrested by the police in connection with a leak exposing alleged illicit land allocations by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

Shaharu, who works in the Fresh Applications Unit of AGIS—a department responsible for processing new land applications—was reportedly picked up by police detectives in Abuja on Tuesday afternoon. As of Wednesday morning, his location remained unknown, raising concerns among colleagues and family members about his safety and possible mistreatment in custody.

The arrest follows the publication of explosive documents alleging that Wike allocated over 3,800 hectares of prime Abuja land, valued at approximately $6.45 billion, to his two sons—25-year-old Jordan and 23-year-old Joaquin. The reports, released by The Peoples Gazette on June 26 and July 1, have sparked widespread public outrage and drawn sharp criticism from civil society and political observers.

Although a police spokesperson confirmed Shaharu’s arrest, further details were not immediately provided. Efforts to reach a representative of Minister Wike for comments were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.

Sources within AGIS told The Gazette that staff were growing increasingly fearful, alleging that the minister had launched an aggressive internal witch-hunt to identify and punish those suspected of leaking the documents. Colleagues of Shaharu said they believe he is being scapegoated, noting that he likely had no access to the sensitive files that formed the basis of the reports.

“He’s not the source. But the minister is panicking and going after junior staff to protect himself,” one AGIS official said. “It’s a big mistake.”

Another source alleged that Wike has been visibly unsettled by the scandal, becoming erratic and volatile in recent days.

“He’s been drinking heavily and yelling at everyone around him, including his wife,” said a source familiar with the minister’s private behaviour. Wike’s wife, Eberechi Suzette Nyesom-Wike, serves as a judge at the Court of Appeal.

Despite the growing backlash, some pro-Wike groups have appeared in the media defending the minister, claiming the reports are part of a politically motivated campaign against him.

However, critics have called for a thorough investigation into the alleged land allocations, describing the incident as yet another example of unchecked corruption within the nation’s capital administration.

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