Nigerian human rights activist and #RevolutionNow convener, Omoyele Sowore, has petitioned the Office of the Attorney General of Florida, accusing former Rivers State governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, of laundering public funds through property acquisitions in the United States.
Sowore, in a formal communication to Attorney General James Uthmeier, alleged that Wike secretly purchased three properties in Winter Springs, Florida, using funds siphoned from Nigeria.
He claimed the assets were deliberately registered under the name of Wike’s wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike of Nigeria’s Court of Appeal, and distributed among the couple’s children to disguise their origins.
According to Sowore, the matter constitutes “first-class felonies” under U.S. law, as they involve trafficking illicit wealth across international borders.
He noted that further investigations were ongoing and warned that more hidden properties might yet be uncovered.
“It turns out that international thief Nyesom Wike has three different properties in Winter Springs, Florida. All of them were hidden under the name of his wife… and shared out to his children,” Sowore alleged. “There may be even more properties, but we are making progress. We have already contacted the Office of the Attorney General of Florida… to notify them that Wike has laundered stolen funds to purchase and traffic properties in their state.”
Sowore, a former presidential candidate and longstanding critic of corruption in Nigeria, argued that the case reflects a broader pattern of political elites moving looted wealth abroad, often beyond the reach of Nigerian authorities.
He stressed that such practices violate both Nigerian anti-corruption statutes and U.S. laws, which impose severe penalties for money laundering.
The petition has drawn renewed attention to Wike, who recently dismissed rumours of ill health after returning from a foreign trip.
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Speaking at a public event, the minister described his travel as a much-needed holiday and accused critics—particularly Sowore—of peddling falsehoods on social media.
Wike further suggested that Sowore was “lucky” President Bola Tinubu tolerated dissent, hinting that under a different administration, such criticisms might not be overlooked.
The activist, however, fired back, insisting that Wike should be facing criminal charges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague rather than holding a ministerial position.
The row between the two men comes against the backdrop of a separate legal tussle between Sowore and Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS).
The DSS recently moved against him over his social media activities, prompting Sowore to file a suit challenging the agency’s demands and defending his right to free expression.
As investigations into the alleged Florida properties continue, the development is expected to fuel fresh debate over corruption, accountability, and the conduct of public officials in Nigeria.