Alleged $2.1m land deal: Lawyers bicker over case against Wike’s son

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA — Two senior lawyers have engaged in a war of words over the ongoing case concerning an alleged $2.1m Abuja land transaction involving Jordan Nyesom-Wike, son of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Jordan’s lawyer, Dr. Ogwu Onoja, SAN, accused Ibrahim Waru, counsel to the claimants, of distorting the facts of the case with lies which, he said, were aimed at tarnishing the reputation of his client, who, he said, openly denied any involvement in the alleged land racket during his court appearance.

He insisted that his client neither had any transaction with the claimants nor admitted collecting the money. “This haze of lies and malicious fabrication appears to be an orchestrated media campaign intended to whip up sentiments, compromise the mind of the public and intimidate the judge. “For the record, Jordan Wike, in his defence before the court, stated in unequivocal terms that he has never met Safwan Garba G.Y. or any of his agents at any time.

“He maintained this line of defence while giving evidence in court on 28 and 30 September 2026. One therefore wonders why a lawyer would grant interviews to misrepresent what transpired in court weeks after the proceedings. “It is baffling that this interview by I.G. Waru was granted this week at the Federal High Court, Abuja, close to a month after the proceedings at the FCT High Court.

It is clearly the source of defamatory comments, unfounded claims and unproven conclusions being made on social media by ignorant members of the public,” Onoja, SAN, added in a statement he made available to journalists. However, reacting to the statement on Wednesday, Waru insisted that his clients are in possession of the signature of Wike’s son on the acknowledgement receipt for the $2.1m paid for the disputed land.

In the statement titled “Re-joinder on the Press Statement Signed by Dr. Ogwu J. Onoja, SAN, FCArb, Lead Counsel to Jordan Nyesom-Wike in Respect of the $2.1 Million Matter,” Waru stood by his claim. The rejoinder read in part: “Having perused the statement signed by Dr. Onoja, SAN, for and on behalf of Jordan Nyesom-Wike, we found it necessary to respond, thus: “All that was stated during the interview granted by I.G.

Waru Esq. was drawn from the hard record of proceedings and processes issued in suit No. FCT/HC/CV/008/2026, just like the signature of Jordan Wike on the acknowledgement receipt of the sum of $2.1m that he received from Safwan Garba GY on the 17th October, 2025. “The signature contained therein is the same as the one signed by Jordan Wike on his witness statement on oath before the court and, most importantly, the same as the specimen signature obtained from him in the witness box, after he was given a pen and paper and asked to sign five times.

“Being a public document, it can be obtained by any member of the general public who, by virtue of Section 104(1) of the Evidence Act, applies for a copy.” Waru said the interview was granted to sensitise members of the public to the honest and true facts of what actually transpired, in light of the distorted facts widely and wrongly circulated on social media.

According to him, nothing said in the interview was contemptuous, conclusive, undermining or overreaching. “Despite the claim of Jordan Wike denying ever knowing or meeting Safwan Garba GY, the WhatsApp chats, whose number Jordan Wike admitted to be his, not only confirmed the familiarity between the duo but also established discussion and understanding regarding the giving and taking of the sum of $2.1m, the subject in contention.” He said it is common knowledge that a civil case is distinct from a criminal case and that both can be pursued concurrently.

The lawyer recalled that on February 13, the team of counsel to Safwan was at the EFCC’s office, where more documents were presented to support their case against Jordan. Waru, however, decried that the anti-graft agency had yet to act on the petition. “Finally, we insist and maintain that the interview granted was a brief statement of honest and true facts of the matter, contrary to what had circulated on social media.

It contains no lie or fabrication whatsoever,” the statement added. It will be recalled that Justice Sylvanus Oriji of an Abuja High Court had earlier fixed December 1 to resume hearing in the case after admitting in evidence the international passport of the defendant, who denied any complicity in the alleged Abuja land deal. While being cross-examined, Jordan told the court that he was not in the country on the date the litigants claimed they had handed money to him to facilitate the allocation of land to them.

According to the claimants, they approached Jordan for assistance in facilitating the acquisition of land in Abuja. They alleged that he agreed to help them secure 30 hectares in Katampe and another 30 hectares in Guzape. They told the court that although their initial meeting with the defendant was in London, where they established a r