By Charles Maduka
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has refuted allegations circulating online that he secretly allocated over 2,000 hectares of land in Maitama and Asokoro districts to his son.
An online report had alleged that Wike approved the allocation of 2,082 hectares of prime Abuja land, using a company named JOAQ Farms and Estate Limited—allegedly linked to his family—as a front. The land was said to be designated for agricultural use but was being misused for personal gain.
In response, the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, issued a statement on Thursday describing the report as baseless and defamatory.
“Not even a single plot of land has been allocated to any of the Minister’s children,” Olayinka said, accusing the authors of the report of peddling falsehoods. He added that it was impossible to find such a large expanse of land in highbrow areas like Maitama and Asokoro.
He questioned the credibility of the publication, saying, “Only quack journalists will go to town with stories of allocation of 2,082 hectares in Asokoro and Maitama. Some of us have continually advocated for professionalism in journalism.”
Olayinka further clarified that the only land allocation mentioned—granted to JOAQ Farms and Estate Limited—was located in Bwari Area Council and strictly intended for agricultural purposes.
“For the avoidance of doubt, JOAQ Farms and Estate Limited, a company duly registered in Nigeria, got land allocation in Bwari Area Council for the purpose of farming,” he stated. “So what is wrong with a farmer getting land allocation strictly for the purpose of agriculture?”
He added that even though it is legally permissible for Wike or his family members to own land in any part of Nigeria, no such allocation has been made to the Minister’s children.
He urged the public to disregard the report, which he described as a deliberate attempt to malign the FCT Minister.
Leave a Reply