‘Innocent’ Civil Servant Arrested For Allegedly Leaking Wike’s $6.45bn Land Scandal
A civil servant attached to the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS), Mairiga Hassan Shaharu, has been arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Police amidst a sweeping manhunt for the source of Peoples Gazette’s recent investigative reports exposing alleged illegal land allocations by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The arrest, which took place on Tuesday afternoon, has sparked outrage among rights groups and family members of the detained official, who was reportedly whisked away without a warrant.
As of Wednesday morning, Shaharu’s whereabouts remained unknown, raising fears he may be undergoing torture in police custody.
Shaharu, a staff member in the Fresh Applications Unit of AGIS, is believed to have had no direct access to or involvement with the sensitive documents cited in The Gazette’s exposé.
His colleagues, speaking anonymously, said the minister had begun targeting lower-level bureaucrats in a frantic bid to contain the fallout from the damning reports.
The Peoples Gazette had, on June 26 and July 1, published official documents showing that Mr Wike allocated approximately 3,822 hectares of prime Abuja land—potentially worth $6.45bn—to his two sons, Jordan and Joaquin, aged 25 and 23 respectively.
The revelations triggered widespread condemnation and intense scrutiny of the minister’s conduct.
“This is a clear case of scapegoating. Mr Wike is embarrassed and is now arresting innocent people in a desperate attempt to find the source of the leak. Shaharu’s job is to process fresh land applications, not to handle confidential ministerial records,” a senior AGIS staffer told The Gazette.
A source close to the minister disclosed that Mr Wike has become increasingly erratic in the days following the publication of the reports, allegedly resorting to excessive alcohol consumption and engaging in heated outbursts with staff and even family members.
“He’s confused and moving fast, which is why he keeps making mistakes. He’s been drinking more heavily and shouting at everybody, including his wife,” the source said.
Mrs Eberechi Suzette Nyesom-Wike, the minister’s wife, is a sitting Justice of the Court of Appeal.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
