The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is once again at the center of controversy as Nigerian police have arrested a staff member of the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), Mairiga Hassan Shaharu, in connection with an ongoing investigation into leaked documents allegedly exposing questionable land allocations linked to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
According to reports, the arrest is part of a broader crackdown on internal leaks following allegations that over 2,000 hectares of prime Abuja land were allocated to Minister Wike’s son, Joaquin Wike, in what critics are calling a “systemic illicit self-dealing” scheme.
Civil society groups and transparency advocates have raised concerns over the arrest, describing it as an attempt to intimidate potential whistleblowers and suppress public scrutiny. “This is a dangerous precedent,” said a spokesperson for a local anti-corruption watchdog. “Instead of investigating the substance of the allegations, the government appears more focused on silencing those who brought them to light.”
The FCT Administration has yet to issue an official statement addressing the land allocation claims or the arrest. However, sources within AGIS suggest that internal audits and staff interrogations have intensified in recent weeks.