9News Nigeria has conducted a thorough fact-check regarding the claims circulating on social media about Nyesom Wike, the Nigerian Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Allegations surfaced that Wike was arrested at a US airport and subsequently transferred to a prison in Washington D.C. due to his involvement in the 2023 presidential election.
The rumors began with a post on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), which claimed that Wike was arrested under orders from US President Donald Trump. The post suggested that this was part of a broader initiative to detain Nigerian politicians. Investigations revealed no credible evidence supporting the claim that Wike was arrested in the United States. Reports from various fact-checking organizations, including Legit.ng and Africa Check, confirmed that there is no record of such an arrest occurring.
Additionally, there were rumors that President Trump had ordered a ban on corrupt Nigerian politicians and mandated the arrest of visiting Nigerian politicians. However, our fact-check findings indicate that there are no official presidential orders to support these claims. The assertions regarding Trump’s actions are unfounded and lack any credible documentation..
In another vein, a report by AFP seen by 9News Nigeria correspondent stated that a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council clarified that such claims are “not accurate.” Daniel Bwala, a communications adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, also refuted these allegations, stating that none of the executive orders signed by President Trump targeted Nigeria.
On February 7, 2025, Wike was reported to have presided over a meeting of the Federal Capital Territory Administration security committee in Abuja, indicating that he is actively fulfilling his ministerial duties and has not been detained. Furthermore, 9News Nigeria’s Abuja correspondent attempted to reach out to the Media Aide of the FCT Minister for comments regarding the rumors, but these efforts proved abortive at the time of this report.
In conclusion, there is no credible evidence to support the claim that Nyesom Wike was arrested at a U.S. airport and transferred to prison. The allegations appear to be unfounded and have been debunked by reputable fact-checking organizations. We advise the public to rely on official statements and trusted news sources for accurate information.
- 9News Nigeria Reports
Report compiled by Obinna Ejianya (9News Nigeria – Melbourne, Australia)
