Abuja Lawyers petition US Attorney General against Sowore, seek probe of financial activities

…Tax Filings, Visa Suspension, Others

A radical of lawyers based successful Abuja person petitioned the Attorney General of the State of New York, United States of America, seeking investigations into the fiscal activities of Sahara Media Group Incorporated and its owner, Mr Omoyele Sowore.

The lawyers, successful a petition connected their behalf by Heartland Advisors & Solicitors, dated October 7, 2025, and submitted astatine the United States Embassy successful Abuja yesterday, besides demanded a “suspension, and oregon invalidation of Sowore’s U.S question documents.”

Demands successful the petition signed by Barrister Sunday Oluwole and Barrister Felix Olanrewaju Wolemiwa, besides include; “Examination of Sahara Media Group Inc.’s fiscal records, including the MacArthur Foundation grant, for compliance with New York nonprofit laws (e.g., N-PCL § 112), analyse whether funds raised by Sahara Media Group Inc. are utilized for their intended charitable purposes oregon diverted to idiosyncratic oregon governmental activities and reappraisal Mr. Sowore’s idiosyncratic and firm taxation filings for compliance with U.S. taxation laws, peculiarly regarding income supporting his U.S. spot and lifestyle.”

The petition titled; “Request for Investigation into Financial Activities of Sahara Media Group Inc. and Mr. Omoyele Sowore,” read; “We are penning to respectfully petition your office’s reappraisal of the fiscal activities of Sahara Media Group Inc., a New York-registered entity, and its founder, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, a Nigerian national residing successful the United States. This petition stems from concerns astir imaginable discrepancies successful nonprofit fiscal reporting, taxation compliance, and plus declarations, which whitethorn interaction some U.S. and Nigerian nationalist interests.

“Mr. Sowore, a salient activistic and erstwhile Nigerian statesmanlike campaigner (2019, 2023), operates Sahara Media Group Inc., which runs Sahara Reporters. Public records rise questions astir the organization’s fiscal transparency and Mr. Sowore’s idiosyncratic fiscal disclosures, peculiarly fixed his governmental activities abroad.”

They listed their cardinal concerns to include; nonprofit Funding and Transparency, noting that Sahara Media Group Inc. received a $1.3 cardinal assistance from the MacArthur Foundation (2016–2019) for writer grooming successful Nigeria, and alleging that constricted nationalist reporting connected the utilization of these funds raises concerns astir compliance with New York nonprofit laws requiring transparency and due usage of charitable funds.

“On plus declaration discrepancies, the lawyers alleged that “In 2023, Mr. Sowore reportedly declared to Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ownership of a azygous Nigerian spot valued astatine ₦5 cardinal and a 2008 Toyota Camry. However, nationalist records bespeak helium purchased a U.S. spot astir 2018, valued astatine astir $552,000, which whitethorn not person been disclosed successful his INEC filing. This raises questions astir imaginable concealment of assets oregon perjury nether Nigerian law, with imaginable U.S. taxation implications if unreported.”

Raising questions astir Sowore’s fiscal capableness and lifestyle, the lawyers said, “Reports suggest Mr Sowore’s lad attends Dwight-Englewood School successful New Jersey, with yearly tuition of astir $59,235 (2024–2025). This, alongside his governmental run expenditures successful Nigeria, appears inconsistent with the reported fiscal capableness of Sahara Media Group Inc., which operates chiefly arsenic a media outlet. A reappraisal of his income sources and taxation compliance could clarify whether these are supported by legitimate, reported earnings.”

They besides said that “In 2018, GoFundMe temporarily suspended a $2 cardinal fundraiser for Mr. Sowore’s ‘Take Back Nigeria Movement’ owed to concerns astir its purpose. Though aboriginal restored, this incidental warrants scrutiny to guarantee funds raised successful New York comply with charitable solicitation laws.”

“Given your office’s authorization to oversee nonprofit organizations registered successful New York, I respectfully petition that you exam...