Nigerians living abroad have officially requested that U.S. officials scrutinise and extradite Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, due to accusations of fraud and money laundering.
The request, which was addressed to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and dated September 28, was signed by Comrade Frederick Odorige, the Global Coordinator of the Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in Nigeria (GCSDN).
It alleges that Wike has utilised the United States as a “safe haven for the laundering of stolen funds from Nigeria,” referencing his political career that began as a local government chairman in 1999 and has led to his current Cabinet position.
The letter enumerates three properties in Florida that are allegedly associated with Wike and his family:
113 Spring Creek Lane – a mansion reportedly acquired in March 2025 for $2 million.
209 Hertherwood Court – purchased in July 2021 for $459,157, which is said to have been transferred to his son, Joaquin.
208 Hertherwood Court – bought in September 2023 for $465,000, which allegedly was transferred to his daughter, Jazmyne.
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The petition asserts that Wike, his wife, Justice Eberechi Suzette Nyesom-Wike (who is an Appeal Court judge), and their three children are connected to these properties and may possess additional concealed assets in the U.S. through intermediaries.
Odorige contends that the couple’s official salaries would not realistically support such purchases and claims that the funds are “proceeds of fraud… from the pilfering and criminal manipulation of budgets, inflated project costs, and direct withdrawal of public resources.” He points out that Wike’s failure to disclose these U.S. properties breaches Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) asset-declaration regulations.
The petition emphasises Nigeria’s economic struggles, referencing World Bank forecasts of increasing poverty, and describes Wike’s alleged actions as factors contributing to “artificial poverty and economic hardship currently experienced by Nigerians.” It calls upon U.S. authorities to take action in accordance with Chapters 655 and 896 of the Florida Statutes, which pertain to money laundering.
