UPDATED: Wike’s son faces questions in suit over $2.1m real estate deal, tenders American passport

Jordan Wike, son of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday, presented his American passport at the FCT High Court in Abuja in continuation of his defence in a suit regarding a failed $2.1 million real estate venture.

Mr Wike, a lawyer, faced torrents of questions from the claimants who instituted the suit to recover $2.1 million they allegedly contributed to the alleged failed business.

The suit was initiated by Safwan Garba alongside his company, G.Y. Global Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited. They claimed the minister’s son accepted a $2.1 million cash sum from them last year to fund a venture requiring him to supply land for building commercial residential properties.

The judge, Sylvanus Oriji, ordered Mr Wike, the minister’s son, on Monday to produce his American passport following a dispute over his whereabouts on 25 October 2025, the date Mr Garba said the minister’s son received $2.1 million cash from them at a residence in Gwarimpa, Abuja.

Mr Wike, who denied receiving money from the claimants or having any dealing with them, had told the court on Monday that he was not in Nigeria on the said date, saying he had travelled outside Nigeria with his American passport.

But the claimants maintained that they delivered the money to Mr Wike after they struck a real estate deal in the aftermath of their earlier meeting in London.

They alleged that Mr Wike agreed to contribute hectares of land at Katampe and Guzape.

The claimants said they delivered the $2.1 million in cash to Mr Wike on 26 September 2025 at a residence in Gwarimpa in the presence of Adamu Sani, Aliyu Sarki and Sai Wani.

They also said Onor Sandy, who accompanied Mr Wike, was present when the minister’s son received the money.

According to the claimants, Mr Wike, whose father previously served as Rivers State governor before becoming FCT minister, went “incommunicado” after receiving the money.

The claimants said they later discovered that the plots were owned by a company, which was preparing to begin developing them.

They said they demanded a refund on 31 October 2025, but got no positive response, prompting them to institute their suit to recover their money.

But Mr Wike denied the allegations, Sahara Reporters reported.

During Monday’s proceedings, Mr Wike, led by his lawyer, Ogwu Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), adopted his statement on oath against the suit.

His lawyer tendered some documents as part of his defence.

Mr Wike maintained his innocence during cross-examination by the claimants’ lawyer, Hamza Dantani. He denied any knowledge of the whole transaction.

The claimants’ lawyer, Mr Dantani, then asked Mr Wike to write his full name and his signature on a plain paper five times each. The defence did not oppose the application, which the court granted promptly.

Continuing cross-examination, the claimants’ lawyer asked Mr Wike where he was on 26 September 2025.

Responding, he said he was outside the country, and in response to another question, he said he travelled outside Nigeria with his American passport. The minister’s son said he could produce the passport if asked.

It was at this point that Mr Dantani applied to the court to compel Mr Wike to produce his American passport in court, a request the judge granted.

Mr Oriji then adjourned the matter until Wednesday.

Wednesday’s hearing

Mr Wike presented his American passport during cross-examination by another claimant’s lawyer, Ibrahim Waru, on Wednesday.

However, the document received little attention during the proceedings.

After the passport was shown to the court, Mr Wike’s lawyer requested to replace the original copy of the passport with the photocopy to be kept in the court’s file.

The judge granted the request on the condition that it would be returned to the court when needed.

During further cross-examination on Wednesday, Mr Waru showed the witness the printout of a voice note transcription dated 17 October 2025, which the court previously admitted in evidence as Exhibit 7.

Asked, after reading the document on Mr Waru’s prompting, if there was any discussion relating to money in the document, Mr Wike said, “Yes, that is what appears here.”

Fielding further questions, he said he had no physical meeting with Mr Garba on 26 September 2025.

Mr Waru showed the witness a contract agreement and asked him to look at the witness’ signature. Mr Wike confirmed that the signature belonged to Mr Sandy, who the claimants claimed witnessed the delivery of the $2.1 million cash.

Mr Wike also told the court that his signature on the contract was forged.

When asked by Mr Waru if he reported the alleged forgery to the police, Mr Wike replied, “No.”

He also replied in the negative when asked if he knew any Salisu.

He denied knowing Onor Sandy, who allegedly signed as his witness when allegedly received the $2.1 million.

“I don’t know him. I didn’t collect or sign any document,” he said.

In a previous court sitting, a voice note dated 17 October 2025 was presented in written form to the court as exhibit 7.

Mr Waru proceeded to ask him to read from a copy of the transcription of a voice note dated 17 October 2025, which was already tendered as an exhibit during previous proceedings.

Asked if there was any discussion relating to money, Mr Wike said, “Yes, that is what appears here.”

He also claimed that on 26 September 2025, he never had any physical meeting with Mr Garba.

Mr Waru showed the witness the contract agreement and asked him to look at the witness’ signature. Mr Wike confirmed the signature belonged to Mr Sandy.

His answer concluded the cross-examination.

Also, Mr Wike’s lawyer asked for time to subpoena witnesses to prove their case. Following no objection from the claimants, the judge granted the request and adjourned the case until 1 December.

Clamants’ case

Mr Garba and his firm, G.Y. Global Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited said in his suit that he met Mr Jordan in London in 2023 and established a relationship.

Mr Garba, who laid out the journey of their relationship in his statement of claim filed as part of his suit, said Mr Wike introduced a real estate business to him in 2025.

He said they “agreed and indeed entered into a joint venture contract agreement with a view to developing and/or building houses in Abuja for sale.”

Under the deal, Mr Garba said, Mr Wike’s contribution to the business included the supply of 1.7 hectares of land in Guzape and 1.5 hectares of land at Katampe New Extension. Mr Garba said his own part of the deal was to contribute $4.2 million. He said they also agreed on a sharing formula of 60-40 upon the sale of the properties. Mr Garba was to take 60 per cent while Mr Jordan took 40 per cent.

Mr Garba claimed that the contract agreement was prepared on his behalf by Apostle Associate Limited in Kano State, and Mr Wike supplied Creekstone General Contractor Limited to execute the project.

However, he said he soon came under pressure from Mr Wike, which led him to pay $2.1 million for two plots, of which he believed Mr Wike to be the titleholder. He said Mr Wike received the money in Gwarinpa in the presence of Adamu Sani and Aliyu Sarki, the document said.

Mr Garba provided an acknowledgement form, which Mr Wike allegedly filled out and signed. According to him, the document was accompanied with Mr Wike’s NIN and passport.

To his surprise, Mr Garba said, when he went to inspect the site, he found out that the land did not belong to Mr Wike and another company was developing the plot. He confronted Mr Wike, who kept postponing the meeting, Mr Garba said. He added that when he demanded a refund, Mr Wike blocked all means of communication.

Mr Garba then met with Mr Wike’s father, the minister himself, to brief him on what happened. He alleged that the minister “rained curses on him” and accused him of false allegations. He said the minister handed him over to the police.

Mr Wike has denied the allegations in his response to the suit, including his statement of defence.

Prayers

The claimants, through their suit, sought the recovery of the $2.1 million they allegedly paid to Mr Wike for the alleged failed joint venture.

They also urged the court to impose 10 per cent interest payable by the defendant from the date of judgement until the entire judgement sum is liquidated.

They also sought N100 million in damages against Mr Wike for allegedly subjecting them to “unnecessary trauma and psychological imbalances due to the singular act of the Defendant denying receiving the sum of $2,100,000.”

In addition, they urged the court to compel Mr Wike to pay them for the cost of filing and prosecuting the case. (Premium Times)