61 Senior Nigerian Officials Illegally Acquired 284 US Properties Worth N370bn – Report

An exclusive investigative report titled “Dirty Deeds: How Top Nigerian Officials Bought A Piece Of America” has revealed that current and serving Nigerian leaders acquired 284 United States properties from 1999 to the present dispensation worth N370 billion ($271 million) with slush funds.

“Dirty Deeds” was launched in Abuja yesterday by the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF) in partnership with some local civil society organisations (CSOs) and anti-corruption groups.

The partners include Premium Times, Step Up Nigeria, HEDA and Anti-Corruption Data Collective (ACDC).

Top officials of PPLAAF, who spoke at the event, were the group’s executive director, Jimmy Kande; director of programmes, Gemma-Mae Hartley; director of investigations, Sonia Rolley; the legal adviser, Kush Amir; and Kabiru Yusuf, head of investigations, represented Premium Times.

In his remarks, Kande explained that the report was designed to enable the Nigerian authorities to determine where the properties and funds were stashed so they could be returned to the country.

Rolley said the data were sourced from official documents, court proceedings, the names of the affected officials, who are mostly politically exposed persons, their connies, family members, and private enterprises they own.

Some of the Nigerians listed have been convicted by the courts, while others have been accused of corruption or have cases pending.

It classified the affected officials as some top security personnel, members of the federal executive and legislative arms of government, former governors and companies they set up to siphon the public funds.

The report highlighted how a former national security adviser (NSA) acquired a 127-acre horse farm in South Carolina, US, for nearly $1 million in cash. It also named the children of a former president and his daughter-in-law in another sleaze case, adding that it discovered 10 other properties bought over 26 years by the ex-leader’s family.

A breakdown of the affected officials showed that state governments topped the list with 14 politically exposed persons (PEPs), security personnel followed with 12 officers, the executive had 11 PEPs, the legislature trailed with 10 PEPs, state-owned enterprises had 3 PEPs, while those classified as other officials were the rarest, with 2 PEPs.

It said the 12 PEPs bought 82 properties with $93 million using their close associates, family members and others.

The report also highlighted how the fight against Boko Haram continues to enrich the military elite.

PPLAAF categorised security personnel in the draining of the public treasury as comprising those with defence roles, military officers, police officials and individuals working in security-related positions.

According to “Dirty Deeds”, these officials, their families and close associates held the highest combined property value of $93 million or about 34 per cent of the total $271 million. It added that the vast majority of the millions found for this category is directly related to a former NSA.

The report further revealed that 39 individuals involved in a $238 million property acquisition through fraudulent means “have either been accused of, indicted, or sentenced for corruption.”

Similarly, “Dirty Deeds” indicated that “147 properties worth $111 million were acquired by high-level officials and their spouses in their own names or using legal entities registered in their own names.”

The report described America as a “destination for dirty money”, adding that its real estate industry provides opportunities for illicit funds. It accused the country’s regulatory authorities of failing to follow the due process required for such transactions.

Founded in 2017, PPLAAF, a continental body, is dedicated to strengthening whistleblower protection frameworks, supporting disclosures in the public interest, and promoting accountability and good governance across Africa.