A coalition of lawyers based in Abuja has petitioned the Attorney General of the State of New York, United States, calling for a comprehensive investigation into the financial dealings of Sahara Media Group Incorporated and its founder, Mr. Omoyele Sowore.
The petition, dated October 7, 2025, was filed through Heartland Advisors & Solicitors and submitted to the U.S. Embassy in Abuja. The lawyers also requested the suspension or invalidation of Sowore’s U.S. travel documents, pending the outcome of the probe.
Titled “Request for Investigation into Financial Activities of Sahara Media Group Inc. and Mr. Omoyele Sowore,” the petition urged New York authorities to review alleged inconsistencies in Sahara Media Group’s financial reporting, tax compliance, and use of nonprofit funds.
“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,” the petition read. “Our concerns relate to potential discrepancies in nonprofit financial reporting, tax compliance, and asset declarations, which may impact both U.S. and Nigerian public interests.”
The petitioners recalled that in 2018, crowdfunding platform GoFundMe temporarily suspended a $2 million fundraising campaign launched by Sowore’s “Take Back Nigeria Movement” due to concerns over transparency. Though later reinstated, they said the incident “warrants scrutiny to ensure all funds raised in New York comply with charitable solicitation laws.”
They urged the New York Attorney General to:
Examine Sahara Media Group’s financial records, including grants from the MacArthur Foundation, for compliance with New York nonprofit laws;
Investigate whether funds were diverted from charitable purposes to political activities;
Review Mr. Sowore’s personal and corporate tax filings for compliance with U.S. tax regulations, especially regarding income supporting his U.S. assets and lifestyle;
Consider suspending or invalidating his U.S. travel documents pending the outcome of the investigation.
The petition, signed by Barrister Sunday Oluwole and Barrister Felix Olanrewaju Wolemiwa, described the action as a good-faith effort to “promote accountability and transparency in cross-border nonprofit operations.”
“This request is made in good faith to protect the integrity of nonprofit operations in New York and public trust in cross-border political activities,” the lawyers stated.
The petition marks the latest in a series of legal and ethical questions surrounding Sahara Reporters’ funding and operations, coming amid renewed scrutiny of diaspora-led political movements.
