New documents from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) have implicated Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike’s personal lawyer, Ferdinand Orbih, and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Cross River State, Sandy Onor, in a land-grabbing scandal in Abuja.
The documents suggest that Wike used these individuals, along with other associates, as fronts to re-allocate revoked lands in the FCT to his personal interests.
According to sources, Onor, who is a director at ALEED Construction Limited with 500,000 shares, is a close confidant of Wike. Orbih, Wike’s personal lawyer, is also a shareholder in ALEED Construction Limited, holding 500,000 shares. Orbih represents Wike in several controversial legal matters. Additionally, another key figure implicated is Hon. Kingsley Chinda, the Minority Leader in the House of Representatives. Chinda is both a director and shareholder in ALEED Construction Limited, with a significant holding of 8 million shares.
ALEED Construction Limited, registered on May 14, 1997, is a private company involved in construction and property development, including projects like roads, bridges, housing, and electrical works. According to the documents, it was one of the companies used by Wike and his associates to illegally acquire and re-allocate revoked lands in the FCT.
The scandal centers around allegations that Wike used “front companies” to take control of lands revoked by the government, bypassing the legitimate land allocation process. Sources suggest that the lands were reallocated to Wike’s cronies, including Orbih, Onor, Chinda, and Adapoyi Akor, who is said to have executed many projects under Wike’s administration in Rivers State. Akor is also allegedly involved in the current construction of judges’ quarters in Abuja.
Reports indicate that Saravera Nigeria Limited, another company linked to Chinda and Akor, was also used to facilitate the reallocation of revoked lands. Both Saravera and ALEED Construction Limited are said to be part of a broader network of companies that Wike allegedly controls to manipulate land allocation in his favor.
The revelations have sparked calls for an urgent investigation. The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has come under pressure to probe Chinda and Wike for land racketeering, abuse of office, and violations of the Code of Conduct Act. Leaders from the Southern Leaders Council have demanded that President Bola Tinubu order a probe into the matter, and some have even called for Chinda’s suspension from the House of Representatives.
“The Southern Leaders Council wants CCB to arrest Wike and Chinda over the leaked evidence of abuse of office, land racketeering, and violation of the Code of Conduct Act,” a source revealed. “They are also demanding that President Tinubu should prosecute the duo.”
Top sources within the FCT Administration (FCTA) have also urged for an audit of all lands revoked by Wike and reallocated during his tenure. These sources claim that an investigation could expose a web of illegal land transactions involving companies like Saravera and ALEED Construction Limited.
Another company named in the scandal is Garden City Mall in Port Harcourt, which is also allegedly connected to Wike.
The revelations have raised suspicions about the role of President Tinubu in the land allocation process. Critics question whether Wike’s actions have the tacit approval of the president, with some speculating that Wike’s associates, including his confidants, may have benefited from the illegal land deals.
The scandal has ignited public outrage, particularly from residents in the Life Camp area of Abuja, who have voiced their frustration over the loss of their land rights due to Wike’s land revocation policies. As the investigation unfolds, many Nigerians are watching closely to see how President Tinubu and the Department of State Services (DSS) will respond to the growing land-grabbing allegations.
Source: SaharaReporters
