A coalition of lawyers in Abuja has filed a petition before the Attorney General of New York, United States, demanding a full-scale investigation into the financial records of Sahara Media Group Incorporated and its founder, Omoyele Sowore.
The petition, submitted through Heartland Advisors & Solicitors on October 7, 2025, at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, also urged American authorities to suspend or revoke Sowore’s U.S. travel documents pending the outcome of the probe.
Signed by Barristers Sunday Oluwole and Felix Olanrewaju Wolemiwa, the group alleged that the financial activities of Sahara Media Group, which operates Sahara Reporters, might violate New York nonprofit and tax laws. They called for a review of the organization’s grants, income sources, and Sowore’s personal assets, citing “possible inconsistencies in financial declarations and use of charitable funds.”
According to the petition titled “Request for Investigation into Financial Activities of Sahara Media Group Inc. and Mr. Omoyele Sowore,” the lawyers said their demand arose from concerns about “potential discrepancies in nonprofit financial reporting, tax compliance, and asset declarations that could affect both U.S. and Nigerian interests.”
They wrote:
“We are writing to 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, a Nigerian citizen residing in the United States. This request 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 noted that Sahara Media Group received a $1.3 million grant from the MacArthur Foundation between 2016 and 2019 for journalist training in Nigeria. However, they claimed that “limited public reporting on how the funds were utilized raises questions about compliance with nonprofit transparency rules in New York.”
They also alleged inconsistencies in Sowore’s asset declaration, pointing out that while he informed Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2023 that he owned only one property worth ₦5 million and a 2008 Toyota Camry, public documents in the U.S. reportedly show he purchased a property valued at about $552,000 in 2018. The lawyers argued this discrepancy “may indicate concealment of assets or perjury under Nigerian law, with possible tax implications in the United States.”
Citing Sowore’s lifestyle and expenditures, the petition further questioned how he could afford tuition fees of over $59,000 per year for his son’s education at Dwight-Englewood School in New Jersey. They suggested that a review of his income sources “would clarify whether his lifestyle is consistent with his reported earnings.”
The lawyers also recalled that in 2018, GoFundMe temporarily suspended a $2 million fundraising campaign linked to Sowore’s “Take Back Nigeria Movement” due to doubts about its purpose, adding that such incidents “justify further examination of the legality of funds raised under New York’s charitable solicitation laws.”
They therefore asked the New York Attorney General to:audit Sahara Media Group’s financial records, including the MacArthur Foundation grant,investigate how the organization’s funds were used and whether they served their intended charitable goals,review Sowore’s personal and corporate tax filings for possible breaches of U.S. tax regulations and suspend or cancel his U.S. travel documents until the investigation is concluded.
The lawyers said their petition was made “in good faith” to promote financial accountability and transparency, while safeguarding the reputation of nonprofit organizations and ensuring public trust in political fundraising across borders.
The article was originally published on Politics Nigeria.
