Was Wike arrested at US airport, transferred to prison? Fact emerges

• A viral station connected X alleged that Nigerian curate Nyesom Wike was arrested astatine a US airdrome and transferred to a Washington D.C. situation implicit his relation successful the 2023 statesmanlike election
• However, checks by Legit.ng recovered nary grounds to enactment this claim, and Wike was seen presiding implicit a information gathering successful Abuja connected February 7, 2025
• The study confirms that the apprehension communicative is false, arsenic determination are nary records of a US enforcement bid targeting Nigerian politicians

Legit.ng writer Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has implicit 4 years of acquisition successful fact-checking.

Washington, USA - A station by a blog connected X (formerly Twitter) claimed that Nyesom Wike, the incumbent curate of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has been arrested successful the United States (US).

The poster, 'Celebrity Blogger', alleged that Wike was seized astatine a US airdrome and 'transferred to Washington D.C. situation implicit the 2023 statesmanlike predetermination crime'.

Social media users connected Facebook are claiming that Nigerian curate Nyesom Wike was arrested astatine an airdrome successful the United States. Photo credits: Anadolu, Yasuyoshi Chiba
Source: Getty Images

The post, published connected Wednesday, February 5, 2025, reads:

"Breaking News: Wike Arrested astatine U.S. Airport, Transferred to Washington D.C. Prison Over 2023 Presidential Election Crime."The ex-governor was arrested successful accordance with Trump's caller bid to apprehension each Nigerian politicians connected sight."

Wike's enactment for Tinubu not a crime

In the buildup to the 2023 statesmanlike election, Wike, who was politician of Rivers authorities astatine the time, solicited votes for the existent president, Bola Tinubu — abandoning Atiku Abubakar, flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Tinubu, who would spell connected to triumph the wide election, polled 231,591 votes successful Rivers portion Atiku secured 88,468 votes.

At the Thanksgiving work successful December 2024, Wike promised to enactment Tinubu each implicit again if the accidental presented itself.

He said:

“I person nary regrets. I person nary apologies. If the accidental comes, I volition bash the aforesaid thing."

On May 3, 2023, conscionable days earlier his swearing-in, Tinubu said helium could not person won the statesmanlike predetermination without Wike’s support.

He said:

“I couldn’t person done it without immoderate structural enactment you gave maine which I can’t picture oregon repay."

Tinubu would aboriginal name Wike arsenic curate of the FCT.

Has Trump's orders affected Nigerian politicians?

The commencement of Donald Trump’s 2nd word arsenic US president has been marked by a flurry of enforcement orders.

Trump has signed much than 50 enforcement orders arsenic of Thursday, February 6, the astir successful a president’s archetypal 100 days successful much than 40 years.

But did Trump bid US authorities to apprehension each Nigerian politicians connected sight? Legit.ng checked.

Local and overseas media person tracked the speeches and decisions Trump has made and enforcement orders helium has signed since his inauguration.

Trump’s enforcement orders connected migration person targeted amerciable immigrants entering the US from the country’s confederate borderline with Mexico and Mexican gangs and cartels.

If helium banned politicians from Nigeria oregon immoderate different state from entering the US, the media would apt study connected this development.

Moreover, today, Friday, February 7, 2025, Wike presided implicit the archetypal gathering of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) information committee successful the Year 2025 successful Abuja.

There is nary grounds to enactment the assertion that Wike was arrested astatine a US airdrome and "transferred to Washington DC prison" owed to his relation successful the emergence of Tinubu arsenic Nigeria's 16th president. The assertion is frankincense false.

Wike urges Nigerians to enactment calm

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Wike called connected Nigerians to stay calm and diligent successful airy of the existent economical difficulties the state is facing.

The FCT curate emphasised that the policies being implemented by President Tinubu were fundamentally aimed astatine the nation's betterment.

Source: Legit.ng