‘No Visa for Corrupt Nigerian Officials’ — U.S Warns Amid Petition Against Wike

The United States has announced that corrupt Nigerian government officials may face visa restrictions, emphasizing that accountability knows no borders.

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria made the statement on Monday through its official X account.

“Fighting corruption knows no borders or limits on accountability. Even when high-profile individuals engage in corruption, they can be barred from receiving U.S. visas,” the Mission said.

The announcement comes shortly after Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, was formally petitioned by activists over alleged unlawful purchases of multi-million-dollar properties in Florida, United States.

Activist Omoyele Sowore, in a petition dated September 22, 2025, requested that Florida authorities investigate Wike for alleged money laundering and initiate forfeiture proceedings on the properties.

The petition, signed by Wike’s critic and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, also asked U.S. officials to impose sanctions and visa bans on the minister.

According to the petition, Wike, with the assistance of his wife, Justice Eberechi Nyesom-Wike of Nigeria’s Court of Appeal, secretly acquired three luxury lakeside homes in Winter Springs, Seminole County, between 2021 and 2023.

The properties, reportedly valued at over $6 million, were later transferred to their children — Jordan, 25; Joaquin, 23; and Jazmyne, 20.

The homes listed in the petition include 113 Springcreek Lane, purchased for $535,000 and transferred to Jordan; 209 Hertherwood Court, purchased for $459,157 and transferred to Joaquin; and 208 Hertherwood Court, purchased for $465,000 and transferred to Jazmyne.

All transactions were reportedly conducted in cash through quitclaim deeds, which, while legal for family transfers, were allegedly used to conceal ownership and evade regulatory scrutiny.

The petition further claims that Wike failed to declare the properties to Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Bureau, in breach of the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.

It also cites several U.S. and Florida statutes, including the Florida Money Laundering Act and federal money laundering laws, as having been violated.

“These transactions, executed in cash and hidden under the names of his children, appear to be part of a deliberate effort to move illicit funds into U.S. real estate,” the petition states.

The petition also claims that Wike’s questionable foreign property acquisitions point to Florida being used as a potential avenue for laundering funds obtained through corrupt means. Observers note that Wike remains one of President Bola Tinubu’s most influential ministers, making the allegations particularly significant.