The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered the revocation of 1,095 landed properties belonging to some prominent Nigerians, government establishments and private organisations in Abuja for failing to pay ground rent and land use conversion fee.
This revocation was contained in a public notice that
accompanied a release by his Special Assistant to the Minister on Public
Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, on Friday.
The notice issued by the FCTA was titled: “Commencement of
enforcement actions on defaulters of Ground Rent payments, Land Use Conversion
Fee, C-of-O bills.”
According to the document, of the 1,095 listed individuals
and organisations, 835 of them defaulted in the payment of ground rent, while
260 defaulted in payment of the violation fee and land use conversion fee
thereby contravening the provisions of Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of
the Land Use Act and also the terms and conditions of the grant of the
respective Rights of Occupancy (Rof)).
Mr Olayinka said the Federal Capital Territory Authority
(FCTA) will commence enforcement action on the lands, some of which have been
developed, following the expiration of the 14-day grace given to the
defaulters.
Prominent on the list seen by PREMIUM TIMES are a former
First Lady of Nigeria, Patience Jonathan, former Defence Minister, Theophilus
Danjuma, former Chief of Army Staff, Ishaya Bamaiyi, ambassador-nominee, Kayode
Are, and Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Others are serving Minister of State John Enoh; Emir of
Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, a former National Chairman of the PDP, Uche
Secondus, and a former acting national chairman of the party, Abubakar Baraje.
Former governors, whose land titles were revoked, include
Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), Olagunsoye
Oyinlola (Osun), Donald Duke (Cross River), Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti), Ibrahim
Dankwambo (Gombe), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), and Gado Nasko (old Sokoto).
Former ministers listed are Kema Chikwe, Dapo Sarumi, Idika
Kalu, Olu Agunloye, and Inna Ciroma.
Serving and former federal lawmakers on the list are Ali
Ndume (Borno), Osita Izunaso (Imo), Caleb Zagi (Kaduna), Ganiyu Solomon
(Lagos), Olabode Olajumoke (Ondo), Iya Abubakar (Adamawa), Abubakar Sodangi
(Nasarawa), Iyiola Omisore (Osun), Patrick Obahiagbon (Edo), Usman Bugaje
(Katsina), Abba Aji (Borno), Shehu Agaie (Niger), Patience Ogodo (Ebonyi)d, and
Mao Ohuabunwa (Abia), who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the
Wike-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Deceased prominent Nigerians listed are the 1993
presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC),
Bashir Tofa, former PDP BoT Chairman and minister, Tony Anenih, former Finance
Minister Adamu Ciroma; former Ohanaeze Leader, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; another
former Ohanaeze President, Ralph Uwechue; former Ministers Alex Akinyele, Dubem
Onyia; Onaolapo Soleye, Yakubu Lame, Babatunde Osotimehin, and John Odey.
Former Anambra governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju, IGP Ibrahim
Coomassie, and Delta North Senator, Patrick Osakwe, are others who are dead but
are on the list.
Federal government establishments affected are the Office of
the National Security Adviser (ONSA), NNPCL, Federal Ministries of Finance,
Environment, CBN, NTA, NPA, FHA, RMFAC, NAN; the Nigerian Navy and the
Nigeria Police Force.
State government properties revoked are Oyo, Borno, and
Kaduna, while banks affected are the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), First Bank,
EcoBank, Zenith Bank, Union Bank, defunct Diamond Bank, and defunct African
Continental Bank. The Catholic Church is one of the faith-based organisations
affected.
The announcement reads: “The general public, particularly
holders of property in the FCT, are hereby notified that the Minister of the
Federal Capital Territory (FCT), His Excellency, Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON,
has approved he commencement of enforcement actions on a total of 1,095
properties in the Federal Capital City (FCC) for defaulting in various
payments.
“Despite the several publications/public notices made by the
Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in some national dailies,
online platforms and television stations requesting defaulters to settle their
financial obligations/liabilities to the FCTA namely – Ground Rent, Certificate
of Occupancy (C-of-O) Bill, Penalty/Violation Fee, and Land Use Conversion Fee,
the underlisted property holders have failed to comply. This contravenes the
provisions of Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act and also
the terms and conditions of the grant of the respective Rights of Occupancy.
“Following the expiration of the final grace period of
fourteen (14) calendar days on Tuesday, the 25th of November 2025, the FCT
Administration will carry out enforcement actions on the 835 properties for
defaulting in payment of Ground Rent and 260 properties for defaulting in
payment of Violation Fee and Land Use Conversion Fee.”
Warnings defied
Mr Wike, on Monday, said that there would be no
further extension of the payment deadline in the
territory.
The minister warned that the defaulters may lose their
properties if they do not meet the payment deadline.
A few days earlier, Nigerianeye reported that the FCTA
would commence fresh enforcement actions on Wednesday, 26 November, against
defaulters of ground rent, land use change, and conversion fees, as well as
right-of-occupancy and certificate-of-occupancy bills.
The administration noted that the two-week and the
presidential grace periods granted defaulters four months ago had long elapsed,
stressing that it would be the last opportunity for defaulters to pay.
In May, this newspaper also reported that the FCTA sealed some of the 4,792
institutions whose properties were affected by the non-payment of ground rent,
including the PDP national secretariat in Zone 5, Wuse District.
Some organisations listed at the time were CBN, INEC, NNPC,
NTA, NNDC, NPA, NIPOST, PHCN, NSPMC and NUC.
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