By Ihechi Enyinnaya
The United States government has warned that corrupt high-profile Nigerians risk being denied visas as part of efforts to curb graft and strengthen accountability.
In a post on its official X page on Monday, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria stated:
“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 move aligns with Washington’s broader anti-corruption stance and existing immigration policies. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, more than two million undocumented immigrants have been deported since President Donald Trump began his second term.
Recall that Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 and 2023 general elections, recently petitioned U.S. authorities against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. In the petition, Sowore alleged that Wike, alongside his wife, Justice Eberechi Nyesom-Wike, secretly acquired three luxury properties in Winter Springs, Seminole County, Florida, between 2021 and 2023.
According to him, the houses, collectively valued at over $6 million, were purchased outright in cash and later transferred through quitclaim deeds to the couple’s children—Jordan, Joaquin, and Jazmyne—in what he described as a deliberate attempt to conceal true ownership and evade financial oversight.
Sowore further alleged that the transactions violated both Nigerian and U.S. laws, insisting that Wike failed to declare the foreign assets as required under Nigeria’s constitution. He cited relevant American statutes, including 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956 and 1957, as well as Florida’s Money Laundering Act and Contraband Forfeiture Act, arguing that the properties were likely acquired with illicit funds.
The petition urged the Florida Attorney General to investigate the source of the funds used, seize the properties if found to be proceeds of corruption, and initiate criminal prosecution where necessary. It also called for visa restrictions and possible sanctions against the FCT minister.
At the time of filing, Sowore attached documentary exhibits, including claim deeds, to back his allegations. Meanwhile, Wike’s camp has yet to issue an official response to the petition.
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