Police authorities in Abuja have arrested a civil servant, Mairiga Hassan Shaharu, in connection with an ongoing investigation into leaked documents published by Peoples Gazette alleging large-scale land allocations by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to his children.
Shaharu, who is attached to the Fresh Applications Unit of the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS), was reportedly picked up by police detectives on Tuesday afternoon. As of Wednesday morning, his whereabouts remained unknown, raising concerns among family members over possible mistreatment or incommunicado detention.
A police spokesperson confirmed the arrest but said details would be provided later.
Shaharu’s unit is responsible for processing new land applications in the FCT. His colleagues, however, told Peoples Gazette that he had no direct role in document handling and expressed concern that the authorities were targeting lower-level staff in a bid to trace the leak, rather than focusing on the source of the alleged misconduct.
Sources within the AGIS said Minister Wike has intensified internal crackdowns in response to the exposé, which detailed the alleged allocation of approximately 3,822 hectares of Abuja land—valued at over $6.45 billion—to his sons, Jordan and Joaquin, aged 25 and 23 respectively.
The Gazette published its findings in two reports released on June 26 and July 1, based on official land administration documents from the minister’s office. The revelations have sparked widespread public outcry, with some civic groups defending the minister and accusing the publication of political bias.
Minister Wike has denied any wrongdoing, attributing the leaks to political adversaries. His spokesperson has yet to respond to inquiries regarding Shaharu’s arrest.
