A recent wave of social media posts claims that the FBI raided a New York property allegedly owned by former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari and discovered $5 billion in cash plus gold valued at $700 million.
However, a thorough review of the facts reveals no evidence supporting these sensational assertions.
The Viral Claim
Posts circulating on platforms like Facebook allege that during an FBI raid, authorities uncovered an astronomical stash comprising 50 million $100 bills alongside a cache of gold.
One post even linked the incident to U.S. President Donald Trump, suggesting that he had intervened due to distrust of Nigeria’s current leadership.
These claims have been widely shared and reposted across multiple channels, despite a glaring lack of corroboration from reliable sources.
Context and Background
Muhammadu Buhari, who served as Nigeria’s military head of state from 1983 to 1985 and later as democratically elected president from 2015 until May 2023, recently addressed allegations of personal enrichment.
During an internal party meeting with the All Progressives Congress on January 27, 2025, Buhari asserted that he had not amassed wealth through corrupt means and disclosed that he was currently living off rental income from his properties in Kaduna, Nigeria.
Examining the Evidence
According to findings by Africa Check, the narrative of a $5 billion windfall found in a New York residence raises serious logistical and financial questions.
Experts note that if such a sum were indeed hidden as 50 million $100 bills, it would surpass by far the most significant cash seizures in recent history.
For context, when U.S. forces recovered approximately $650 million in cash during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, it was one of the largest of its kind—and that event received extensive international media coverage.
Moreover, there are no verified reports or official statements confirming that Buhari owned any property in New York, much less that it was the target of an FBI raid resulting in such a discovery.
The absence of coverage from reputable news outlets or government agencies further undermines the credibility of the claim.
The Broader Issue of Misinformation
This incident is reminiscent of a similar debunked story from 2024 involving Nigerian government minister Nyesom Wike, where an alleged seizure of $6 billion in cash was similarly unsubstantiated.
These recurring narratives highlight how misinformation can quickly spread across social media, often without any grounding in verified facts.
In a world where sensational headlines attract clicks and shares, the importance of verifying information before acceptance or further dissemination cannot be overstated.
Final Verdict
After careful investigation and according to findings by Africa Check, it is clear that the story of the FBI finding $5 billion in cash and $700 million in gold at a property linked to Buhari is nothing more than a fabrication.
No credible evidence or official reports support the claim, reinforcing the need for skepticism and critical assessment of unverified social media content.
