Mr. Peter Obi, Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election was among those affected as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has announced the revocation of 167 plots of land in some highbrow districts of the nation’s capital, Abuja.
Areas affected are Maitama, Gudu, Wuye which had the highest revocation, 41; Katampe, Katampe Extension, Wuse 2, Jabi, Utako, Idu Industrial zone, and Asokoro which had the second highest revocation, 39.
In a notice issued Thursday night in Abuja, the administration said the plots were revoked due to the refusal or failure of their allottees to develop them.
“The Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA hereby informs the general public that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory has, in the exercise of the powers conferred on him under Section 28(5)(a) & (b) of the Land Use Act 1978, revoked the underlisted plots with names and titles as reflected in our records for continued contravention of the terms of development of the Right of Occupancy to wit non-development,” the administration said in the notice signed by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Olusade Adesola.
Some of the plots revoked in Maitama district A05 had names like Liyel Imoke, Musa Aboki Egu, Hassan Hadejia and Ishaya Baba.
In Jabi, some of the plots revoked had allottees such as Sam Nda-Isaiah, and Donubari Josephine Kogbara, while Katampe district had Peter Gregory Obi, BUA international among others.
In other areas lands revoked had names as Julius Berger Nigeria, Honeywell Construction, Uffot Joseph Ekaette, Shittu Mohammed, Udoma Udo Udoma, Kanu Agabi, Niki Niki Tobi, Ishaku Bello, and others.
Recall at the onset upon receiving his portfolio as the Minister of FCT, Wike had vowed to pull down structures built outside plans and revoke lands undeveloped, affirming the he would step on toes while carrying out the role no matter whose ox is gored.
Information has it that over 6,000 buildings within Abuja may be demolished with the new policy and the buildings spread across places like: Garki, Garki Village, Gishiri, Idu, Apo Mechanic Village, Jabi, Kado Village, Karmo,Durumi, Nyanya, Karu, Byanzhin, Dawaki, Gwagwalape, among others.
The former Governor of Rivers State among other things had stated he will revoke titles to lands which are yet to be developed by the holders and be given to those ready to develop it.
Wike had said, “All those people who are distorting the master plan of Abuja, too bad. If you know you have built where you are not supposed to build, it will go down. Be you a minister of anywhere, be you an ambassador, if you know you have developed where you were not supposed to develop, your house must go down.
“Those who have taken over the green areas to build; sorry, our parks must come back, the green areas must come back. If you hate green, you must hate yourself.’’
He added, ‘’And those that the government has given C of O (Certificate of Occupancy) or allocated lands to them, that refused to develop and use, and they are becoming land speculators, the land is gone. I’m going to revoke them. We will take back our land and give to those who want to develop, and you must sign that you must develop at so and so time.’’
Wike had also vowed that he won’t waste time issuing demand notices before revoking land from ground rent defaulters.
”For those of you who also have refused to pay your ground rent; non-payment of ground rent is a breach of covenant. I don’t need to write to you to pay. So, if you have not paid, be it national whatever you call it, bank o, anywhere; big man o, sorry, I will not be tired to revoke.
‘’And all those who have left their old houses to be shanties for criminals; you are building houses for over 15 years, uncompleted buildings, now criminals have taken over the place, the government will take it back. All those uncompleted buildings defacing the city, particularly in Maitama and Asokoro, and Wuse, all those areas, I’ll take them back,’’ he had warned.
He had also consequently given a two-week grace to allottees to pay their ground rents or risk revocation of their allocations.
