Diaspora Group Petitions US To Extradite Wike Over Fraud Allegations

Nigerians living abroad have taken steps to push for the extradition of Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, accusing him of fraud and money laundering in the United States.

The demand was made in a petition addressed to Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier and also forwarded to the FBI.

The petition was submitted on September 28, 2025, by the Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in Nigeria (GCSDN), led by its coordinator Comrade Frederick Odorige. It accused Wike of secretly acquiring luxury properties in Florida and using the US as a base for laundering funds allegedly diverted from Nigeria.

The properties mentioned in the petition included a mansion worth $2 million at Spring Creek Lane purchased in March 2025, a house at 209 Hertherwood Court bought in July 2021 for $459,157 and later transferred to his son, and another home at 208 Hertherwood Court bought in September 2023 for $465,000 and transferred to his daughter. The document claimed Wike’s wife, Justice Eberechi Suzette of the Court of Appeal, and their children were listed as beneficiaries.

The coalition argued that the combined earnings of Wike and his wife could not justify the scale of these acquisitions. It alleged that the money came from inflated contracts, manipulation of budgets, and direct withdrawals of public resources. By not declaring the assets in his mandatory filings, the petition said Wike breached Nigeria’s Code of Conduct laws.

The petition linked the allegations to Nigeria’s current economic troubles. It argued that the diversion of funds has worsened poverty, unemployment, and mass migration, leaving millions of children on the streets and a growing population struggling with basic survival. It called on US authorities to act, noting that Nigerians of lesser offences had previously faced extradition.

This call came just days after another petition was filed by activist Omoyele Sowore on September 22, 2025. Through his lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, he accused Wike of acquiring three lakeside homes in Winter Springs, Florida, valued at over $6 million. The properties were purchased between 2021 and 2023 and transferred to his children. The petition claimed the purchases were carried out with cash-only transactions to conceal the origin of funds, breaching both Florida and US federal laws.

Sowore’s petition referenced state and federal anti-money laundering statutes and the US Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative. It argued that the deals violated the Florida Money Laundering Act, the Contraband Forfeiture Act, and US codes that regulate financial crimes.

The issue of Wike’s property dealings has been on the public radar since earlier this year. Reports by Peoples Gazette revealed he allocated over 2,000 hectares of prime Abuja land to his son soon after becoming minister. Additional records showed he approved land allocations to family members, friends, and political allies, including his father, brothers, and cousins.

Despite these claims, Wike has denied all wrongdoing and continues to serve as FCT Minister. The petitions, however, have now placed his case before US authorities, raising questions about how the allegations will be addressed in both Nigeria and the United States.