By A $2.1 million Abuja property deal has ended up before the FCT High Court, with Jordan Ezenwo Nyesom-Wike, son of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, denying that he received the money or signed the documents at the centre of the dispute.
Jordan, a lawyer, is being sued by businessman Safwan Garba and his company, GY Global Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited, over a proposed housing development involving land in Guzape and Katampe New Extension.
The claimants say they paid Jordan $2.1 million for the properties after agreeing to develop and sell houses on the land. Jordan disputes the account and says the signature attributed to him on the transaction documents was forged.
The case, marked CV/008/2026, is before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the FCT High Court.
How the $2.1m Deal Started
According to Garba’s account before the court, he met Jordan in London in 2023 before the two became involved in a proposed Abuja property development in 2025.
Garba said Jordan presented a real estate opportunity involving 1.7 hectares of land in Guzape and 1.5 hectares in Katampe New Extension.
Under the proposed joint venture, Jordan was to provide the land while Garba was to provide $4.2 million for the development of houses. Garba said proceeds from the eventual sale of the properties were to be shared 60-40 in his favour.
A Kano-based company, Apostle Associate Limited, allegedly prepared the agreement for Garba, while Jordan brought in Creekstone General Contractor Limited to handle construction.
The arrangement later became the subject of a financial dispute.
The Land at the Centre of the Dispute
Garba told the court that he eventually agreed to pay $2.1 million for the two plots.
He alleged that after the payment, he went to inspect the properties and discovered that another company was already preparing to develop the land.
According to his account, he subsequently discovered that the properties were not Jordan’s to sell.
Garba said his attempts to obtain an explanation and recover his money were unsuccessful, leading him to issue a refund demand on October 31, 2025.
The claimants are asking the court to recover the $2.1 million, together with interest, damages and the cost of the legal action.
The Alleged $2.1m Payment
Garba alleged that the $2.1 million was paid in cash on September 26, 2025, at a residence in Gwarimpa.
He told the court that the payment was made in the presence of Adamu Sani, Aliyu Sarki and Sai Wani, while Jordan was allegedly accompanied by Onor Sandy.
An acknowledgement form was allegedly signed during the transaction. The document also contained Jordan’s National Identification Number and passport details, according to the claimants.
Garba’s case is that the payment was made in connection with the proposed acquisition and development of the land.
Jordan, however, says no such payment was made to him.
How the Deal Ended in Court
After the alleged discovery about the land, Garba said he sought to recover the money.
He alleged that his efforts to resolve the matter stalled and that he later approached Nyesom Wike, Jordan’s father, over the dispute.
According to Garba, the minister referred the matter to the police.
With the money still unpaid, Garba and GY Global Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited instituted the suit now before the FCT High Court.
The claims remain contested and have not been determined by the court.
Wike’s Son Denies the Transaction
Jordan has rejected the claim that he received the $2.1 million.
During proceedings, he told the court that he did not receive money from Garba or anyone acting on his behalf. He also denied signing the disputed land documents.
Jordan said he only became aware that his signature appeared on the document when it was produced during the court proceedings.
He described the signature as forged.
Another important part of his defence concerns September 26, 2025, the date on which Garba says the money was handed over.
When questioned about his whereabouts by the claimants’ lawyer, Ibrahim Waru, Jordan said he was outside Nigeria that day and had travelled using his American passport.
Justice Oriji subsequently ordered him to produce the passport in court.
Jordan later produced it, after which the court permitted a photocopy to remain on the record while the original was returned to him, subject to further production if required.
What the Evidence Before the Court Shows
The disputed agreement and acknowledgement form are central to the claimants’ case.
Jordan was shown the document in court and asked about a second signature attributed to Onor Sandy, whom the claimants say was present during the alleged payment.
Jordan identified the signature as Sandy’s but denied knowing him personally.
He was also questioned about why he had not reported the alleged forgery to the police. Jordan maintained his position that he did not sign the document.
A voice note transcript dated October 17, 2025, which had already been admitted as an exhibit, also featured during cross-examination.
When questioned about whether the recording contained a discussion about money, Jordan acknowledged that it did while maintaining that he did not meet Garba on the date of the alleged payment.
The competing accounts leave several issues for the court to determine, including whether the payment occurred as alleged, who signed the disputed documents and what relationship Jordan had with the properties at the centre of the dispute.
What Happens Next
Jordan’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate Ogwu Onoja, asked for additional time to subpoena witnesses in support of his defence.
With no objection from the claimants, Justice Oriji granted the request and adjourned the case to December 1, 2 and 14 for further hearing.
The claimants are seeking the return of the $2.1 million, 10 percent interest from the date of judgment until repayment, N100 million in damages and the cost of the proceedings.
For now, neither Jordan nor his father has been found liable by a court over the allegations. The dispute remains before the FCT High Court.
