A former Nigerian national security adviser acquired a 127-acre horse farm in South Carolina using funds that raised red flags with U.S. immigration officials, according to a new investigation by the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF).
The report, published on February 24, 2025, reveals that the purchase was made in 2002 when the former official was heading the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, the organisation responsible for printing Nigeria’s currency.
The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, The Post and Courier in South Carolina, and The Houston Chronicle in Texas collaborated on the investigation.
According to the findings, the ex-NSA’s wife applied for an American investor visa based on their million-dollar investment in the property. In her application, she claimed the funds originated from a $1 million lobbying contract her husband secured while leading Nigeria’s Mint. The contract allegedly involved lobbying Ghanaian officials on behalf of a Texas-based oil company seeking access to an offshore oil platform.
U.S. authorities rejected the visa application, citing concerns about the source of the funds. However, investigators found no evidence that further action was taken regarding the property.
“In rejecting the visa application, the US government raised serious questions about the source of the funds used to purchase the property. Still, there is no indication the government took any further action concerning the farm,” the report stated.
The investigation revealed that the farm was later transferred into the wife’s name. The extensive property includes “55 stalls, 16 paddocks ranging from small to large, a quarter-mile track, stadium ring equipment with jumps, four horses, four barns, and trails throughout.” It currently operates as an Airbnb rental and wedding venue.
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