Abuja Lawyers Petition U.S. AG to Probe Sowore’s Finances

…Call for Review of Tax Filings, Visa Suspension, and Use of MacArthur Grant

A group of Abuja-based lawyers has petitioned the Attorney General of the State of New York, United States, demanding an investigation into the financial dealings of Sahara Media Group Incorporated and its founder, Mr. Omoyele Sowore.

The petition, filed on behalf of the group by Heartland Advisors & Solicitors and dated October 7, 2025, was submitted to the U.S. Embassy in Abuja. The lawyers also requested the “suspension or invalidation” of Mr. Sowore’s U.S. travel documents.

Signed by Barristers Sunday Oluwole and Felix Olanrewaju Wolemiwa, the petition calls for an “examination of Sahara Media Group Inc.’s financial records, including the MacArthur Foundation grant, for compliance with New York nonprofit laws,” and an investigation into “whether funds raised by the organization were diverted to personal or political purposes.”

The petition, titled “Request for Investigation into Financial Activities of Sahara Media Group Inc. and Mr. Omoyele Sowore,” reads in part:

“We respectfully request your office’s review of the financial activities of Sahara Media Group Inc., a New York-registered entity, and its founder, Mr. Omoyele Sowore. This stems from concerns about potential discrepancies in nonprofit financial reporting, tax compliance, and asset declarations which may impact both U.S. and Nigerian public interests.”

The petitioners cited transparency concerns, noting that Sahara Media Group Inc. received a $1.3 million grant from the MacArthur Foundation between 2016 and 2019 for journalist training in Nigeria. They allege limited public reporting on the grant’s use, which, they claim, may breach New York’s nonprofit disclosure requirements.

The lawyers also highlighted discrepancies in Sowore’s declared assets, stating:

“In 2023, Mr. Sowore declared ownership of a single Nigerian property worth ₦5 million and a 2008 Toyota Camry to Nigeria’s INEC. However, public records indicate he purchased a U.S. property around 2018 valued at approximately $552,000, which may not have been disclosed in his INEC filings.”

They further raised questions about Sowore’s lifestyle and financial capacity, citing reports that his son attends Dwight-Englewood School in New Jersey with an annual tuition of about $59,235. “This, alongside his political campaign expenditures, appears inconsistent with the reported income of Sahara Media Group,” they added.

The petition also referenced a 2018 incident in which GoFundMe temporarily suspended a $2 million fundraiser for Sowore’s “Take Back Nigeria Movement” over transparency concerns. Although the campaign was later restored, the lawyers said the episode “warrants renewed scrutiny under New York charitable solicitation laws.”

Concluding, they urged the U.S. Attorney General to:

• Audit Sahara Media Group’s financial records and MacArthur Foundation grant compliance;
• Review Sowore’s personal and corporate tax filings;
• Investigate potential diversion of charitable funds; and
• Suspend or revoke his U.S. travel documents.

The lawyers described their petition as “a good faith effort to promote accountability and transparency, protecting the integrity of nonprofit operations and public trust in cross-border political activities.”