Nigerian forensic expert Wale Oyebolu has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to take decisive action in the ongoing investigation of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Oyebolu urged the anti-graft body to prove that no one is above the law by handling the alleged asset concealment and illicit enrichment case with full transparency.
The allegations against Wike include owning several high-value properties in Winter Springs, Florida, USA, reportedly acquired between 2021 and 2023 through shell companies and undisclosed financial channels. The properties were said to be registered under the names of his wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, and their children.
Reports also suggest that over $300 million meant for the Ogoniland environmental cleanup may have been diverted to private ventures — an act Oyebolu described as a serious betrayal of public trust if proven true.
He called for a full forensic audit of Wike’s asset declarations during his tenure as Rivers State governor and as minister. This, he said, should be compared with bank transactions and property records both in Nigeria and abroad. He also recommended that the EFCC activate the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with the United States to obtain official banking and property documents from Florida authorities.
Oyebolu emphasized that the investigation must include forensic accounting, tax audits, and a detailed examination of corporate registries to uncover the true ownership of the properties and money trails.
He urged the EFCC, ICPC, and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to keep the public informed of their findings to maintain trust in Nigeria’s anti-corruption system.
“The EFCC has solved big cases before — like recovering $500 million in proceeds of crime and uncovering massive fraud in the NDDC audit,” Oyebolu noted. “This case should not be different. Nigeria’s integrity and credibility are on the line.”
He concluded that the Wike case is a test of whether Nigeria’s institutions are truly independent or influenced by politics. “Justice must be done, no matter how powerful the people involved are,” he said.
