Nigerian Officials Accused of Acquiring $271M US Properties

An investigative report titled “Dirty Deeds: How Top Nigerian Officials Bought A Piece Of America” disclosed that 61 current and serving Nigerian leaders acquired 284 properties in the United States from 1999 to the present, valued at N370 billion ($271 million), using slush funds. The report was launched in Abuja by the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF) alongside local civil society organizations and anti-corruption groups, including Premium Times, Step Up Nigeria, HEDA, and Anti-Corruption Data Collective (ACDC).

PPLAAF's executive director, Jimmy Kande, stated that the report aims to help Nigerian authorities trace the properties and funds for recovery. The report identified politically exposed persons (PEPs) among the officials, including top security personnel and former governors, with some having prior convictions or pending corruption cases.

Notably, a former national security adviser purchased a 127-acre horse farm in South Carolina for nearly $1 million in cash. The report categorized the officials and their families as holding properties worth $93 million, representing 34% of the total value.