A staff member of the Department of Land Administration of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) known as Mairiga Hassan Shahru, has reportedly been queried and subsequently arrested and detained for allegedly leaking some “classified documents”.

The FCT Police Commissioner, Adewale Ajao has confirmed the arrest of Shahru, and indicated that the FCTA staff will soon be charged to court.

He was, however, said to have been released on bail.

Daily Trust has not been able to independently confirm the actual cause of the issuance of query and subsequent arrest and detention of Mr. Shahru. However, sources said he allegedly leaked a certificate of occupancy showing land allocated to two sons of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

But Mr. Wike had during a live media chat on Thursday dismissed the alleged allocation of land to his sons as false, adding that the speculation arose from mere mischief by someone from Adamawa State whom he did not name.

The Senior Special Assistant to Mr. Wike on Public Communications, Lere Olayinka had two days before the minister’s rebuttal stated that no such allocations were made.

A document being circulated online titled “Letter of Query” and addressed to Hassan Mairiga Shahru (Land Resource Officer I) accused him of allegedly engaging in acts considered to be serious misconduct, contrary to the provisions of the Public Service Rules (PSR).

Specifically, he was accused of: -”Unathorised disclosure of official information to unathorised persons, which constitutes a clear violation of PSR 100401 and 100402(j). –”Breach of oath of secrecy which you swore to uphold upon assumption of duty under the PSR 100402(o). –”Conduct unbecoming of a public officer as defined under PSR 100402(aa), thereby undermining the integrity and confidentiality required of your office”.

The letter, with reference number FCT/DLA/189, dated 4th July, 2025 and signed by the Ag. Director, Land Administration, Uzo Udegbunam J. demanded a written representation from the accused officer within 24 hours stating why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.

Staff confirm Shahru’s arrest

Several staff members of the FCTA’s land department confirmed Shahru’s arrest on Friday for allegedly leaking official documents.

Speaking anonymously due to fear of victimisation, the staff who spoke described the atmosphere at the department as “tense”, due to what they put as “increased monitoring by top management”.

One female staff member expressed surprise at the action against the Land Resource Officer, stating that Shahru works in the department handling new land applications and would typically not have access to approval or allocation documents.

Another staff member said: “To be frank with you, a lot of things are going on; we have never seen some of these things before in this department, but everything in life is about time. This time will still pass”.

How I’ve been tracking the arrested staff – Sowore

Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has detailed his and other human rights lawyers’ efforts to track the arrested staff member since last week.

In a write-up titled, “Tracking down FCDA worker detained by FCT Minister Wike over land allocation scandal involving his children,” Sowore alleged that on Friday, Mairiga Hassan Shahru, a staff member at the Federal Capital Development

Administration (FCDA), was “unlawfully detained at the FCDA Police Post.’’

Sowore recounted visiting the police post on Friday night with two human rights lawyers, Rosemary Hamza and A. K. Musa, and later being joined by a third lawyer who had unsuccessfully attempted to secure Shahru’s release earlier.

Arrest of Shahru vindictive – Adeyanju

Deji Adeyanju, one of the lawyers and civil activists who fought for the release of Mairiga Hassan Shahru, the prime suspect on the alleged leaked documents linking Wike’s children to the land allocation in the FCT, said the development was nothing but vindictiveness.

Speaking to Daily Trust via the telephone, he said there was no evidence that that Shahru was behind the leaked documents that implicated Wike’s children.

He also described the arrest and detention as outright witch-hunt, saying Nigerians should resist it.

“After they arrested him (Shahru), they ransacked his phone and there was no evidence linking him with the leaked document. And beyond that, we must ask what is really classified about information on AGIS. It is a public establishment and Nigerians have the right to know what is happening there.

“Land allocation must be transparent and whistle blowers must expose infractions. Minister Wike should have come out and clear his name on the allegations Instead of beating around the bush that his children are also Nigerians. The arrest of Shahru is illegal, we need more whistle blowers to sanitise the system,” Adeyanju said.

On whether the suspect has been released from detention, Adeyanju answered in the affirmative.

“He has been released after intense pressure. He is no longer in custody even though he has been issued a baseless query. Sowore was in the forefront of the struggle for the release of the innocent civil servant. We are all part of it. We would not abandon Shahru, we would stand for him and ensure that he is not victimised,” he said.

Wike denies allocating lands to children

Mr. Wike had denied allegations that he allocated lands to any of his children. The allegations claimed Wike allocated 2,082 hectares to one of his sons through JOAQ Farms and Estates Limited and 1,740 hectares to another son, Jordan, totaling 3,822 hectares “worth $6.45 billion”.

Speaking at the media parley on Thursday, the minister dismissed the allegations but defended the rights of his children as citizens to own land, provided due process is followed. “Assuming, though not conceding, my children applied for land. Are they not citizens? Are they Ghanaians? Even if they applied, are they not entitled because I’m a minister?” he asked.

“First, calculate land in Maitama and Asokoro and tell me where you’d get 2000 hectares of land. And I know where it is coming from. It is from Adamawa State. I am aware,” he said.

Challenging the credibility of the claims, he quizzed: “The whole thing is rubbish. Where in Maitama and Asokoro can you find 2,000 hectares? Bring the documents, bring empirical evidence.”

Suspect will be prosecuted – FCT CP

Meanwhile, the FCT Police Commissioner, Mr. Ajao has confirmed the arrest of Shahru.

He told Daily Trust on phone that “the suspect would be charged to court” after the police conclude its investigations.

When contacted on the specific reason why Mr. Hassan Shahru was queried and arrested, the minister’s media aide, Mr. Olayinka said: “ Issuing query to civil servants for allegedly flouting the service rules is a normal procedure.

“He isn’t the first to be queried and he won’t be that last.’’ (Daily Trust)