Nigerian activist, Omoyele Sowore, has filed a petition with the Attorney General of Florida, James Uthmeier, alleging that Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, used laundered public funds to acquire real estate in the United States.
Sowore claimed that three properties in Winter Springs, Florida, were traced to Wike but registered under his wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike of Nigeria’s Court of Appeal, and distributed among their children to disguise ownership.
“It turns out that international thief Nyesom Wike has three different properties in Winter Springs, Florida. All of them were hidden under the name of his wife, Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, and shared out to his children,” Sowore alleged. “There may be even more properties, but we are making progress. We have already contacted the Office of the Attorney General of Florida to notify them that Wike laundered stolen funds to purchase and traffic properties in their state.”
He described the acquisitions as “first-class felonies,” insisting they violated Nigerian and U.S. anti-corruption laws, which carry severe penalties.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the AAC, said the case highlights how Nigerian officials funnel stolen wealth abroad while citizens face economic hardship.
The petition comes shortly after Wike dismissed health rumours during a public appearance, saying he was only on his first “holiday” since becoming FCT minister and accusing critics, including Sowore, of spreading lies.
In a rebuttal, Sowore argued the minister should be standing trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) instead of holding office. He added that Wike’s role in government reflects Nigeria’s failure to hold corrupt leaders accountable.
The activist’s move adds to his long-running rivalry with Wike and comes amid his own legal battle with the Department of State Services (DSS), which he accuses of trying to censor his social media posts.
Wike caught on tape threatening INEC officials
In an audio shared by the #RevolutionNow convener, who described Wike as a “crazy, killer drunkard–murderer-land thief FCT minister,” was caught on tape threatening to kill officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) he bribed to rig a by-election for him in 2016.
“Wike is a dedicated criminal. His day will come. His threatening me with assassination on behalf of President Bola Tinubu is nothing new. Wike has killed many, stolen so much, and gotten away with too many crimes,” said Sowore
Wike stole $20m to buy mansions for children – Sowore
Sowore, in a post on his X handle, on Friday, alleged the FCT minister stole whopping amount of $2million to buy a mansion for his children in Florida.
He posted “For the thief, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike @govwike who stole money meant for the poor to buy a $2million mansion for his children in Florida but never checked how things work there, let this be a lesson to you that in the USA, presidents can be called out in whatever way citizens choose, judges are not meant to be pocketed, and presidents have no option but to live by the rule of law.”
Sowore added that Wike has created a new jurisdiction, Florida where the crimes he commited corruption and public theft of resources in Nigeria can be tried.
Wike’s aide dismisses threat
The Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT minister Lere Olayinka, on Saturday, dismissed Sowore’s that Tinubu and Wike were plotting to assassinate him.
He labelled Sowore’s claims as “mind games” and a ploy to sustain his lifestyle, insisting that neither the President nor the FCT minister had any reason to target the activist.
“If there is any threat to the life of Sowore, it must be from those he has blackmailed. He should leave President Tinubu and the FCT Minister out of the impending repercussions of his lifestyle.
“All the noise he has been making about Wike in the last 48 hours is just part of his usual mind games. He knows the gravity of the charges against him,” Olayinka said.
