By OUR REPORTER, Abuja
Twenty-four days after he was inaugurated among 45 cabinet members by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to “serve Nigeria not regions and states”, report emerged weekend that Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, has revoked 21 plots of land located at the Central Business District (CBD) in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
Wife, who started off with packs of controversies from threats of ‘demolition’ and ‘being in to give’ civil servants in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) ‘blood pressure’ to perform, said that he took decision on the 21 plots revocation “in the exercise of the powers conferred on him under Section 28(5)(a) & (b) of the Land Use Act 1978”, according to a revocation notice, on Thursday, signed by Permanent Secretary of the FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola.
Explaining why, he said the lands were revoked “for continued contravention of the terms of development of the Right of Occupancy to wit non-development”.
Some of the allottees, whose Certificates of Occupancy were cancelled in the new development, included prominent citizens like 2023 Presidential Candidate of the opposition Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, who is currently challenging election victory of Wike’s principal, Bola Tinubu in court, former Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Liyel Imoke, former Secretary to the Governmrnt of the Federation (SGF), Chief Ufot Ekaette, and late Publisher of Leadership Newspapers, Chief Sam Nda-Isaiah.
Among corporate organisations affected by the revocation were cement giant, BUA Group, Julius Berger, Honeywell, Lowe Lintas, Tourist Company of Nigeria, Coscharis Motors, CFA Motors, Chidol Properties among with the highbrow districts of Maitama, Asokoro and Wuse 2 most affected by the decision.
Asides coming to work with a vow to correct Abuja’s masterplan by his much criticised demolition of illegal structures, Nyesom Wike had also said that he was going to recover land allocated but are yet to be developed.
The FCTA has, however, referenced Section 28 of the Land Use Act 1978 as empowering the minister to do so.
Director of Information and Communication in the FCTA, Mr. Muhammad Hazat Sule, said in another statement that the minister had approved a three-month grace period for 189 titleholders, who have obtained Building Plan Approvals but are yet to commence development on their property.
“The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has graciously approved a grace period of three-months from the date of this publication for the underlisted titleholders who have obtained building plan approvals to commence development of their plots; failure of which their titles shall be revoked for continued contravention of the terms of development of the Right- of -Occupancy”, the statement declared.
Among those given the three-month grace are 21 embassies, 168 others.
Some of the diplomatic missions are the Embassy of Ireland, Embassy of France, Canadian High Commission, Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Embassy of Turkey, Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Angola, Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Embassy of Philippines and Tanzania High Commission.
Others are Embassies of Syrian Republic, Iran, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Thailand, Algeria, Trinidad and Tobago, Cote D’Ivoire, Argentina, Togo, Indonesia and several government agencies including those of the FCT Administration.
Equally given a three-month grace are the Abuja National Mosque Council, Abuja National Mosque Management Committee, Daily Times of Nigeria, Elf Petroleum, Access Bank, Federal Housing Authority, Adamu Ajuji Waziri, Isa Yuguda, Eyitayo Lambo, Abba Gana, Mohammed Abubakar Rimi, Nigerian Navy, Gamji Construction Limited, Lagos State Liaison Office, Nigeria Customs Service, John Kennedy Opara, Federal Fire Service and a host of others.
Accordingly, the affected property owners are to do so within the stipulated period or have their title revoked in line with the provisions of the law, said Sule.
He said the gesture has only been extended to both individuals and corporate organizations who have shown desire to develop their property by obtaining Building Plan approvals but are yet to start proper development on their property situated within the Federal Capital City FCC.
“Similarly, public institutions that have land titles within the Federal Capital City but are yet to develop same, have also been given a grace period of three months to commence development in order to avoid sanction.
“Thus, the Minister has extended this gesture to 189 property owners due to their desire to develop the property by obtaining Building Plan Approvals which is a prerequisite for development of any property in the Federal Capital Territory.
“The owners of these plots were exempted from revocation because they have already demonstrated firm commitment towards developing their property by obtaining necessary documents from the FCT Administration.
It urged the affected property owners to take advantage of the Minister’s gesture and develop their plots as published in some National Dailies, in line with the terms of Offer of the Right- Of- Occupancy.
“The FCT Administration, therefore, appealed to the affected Public Institutions who have been allocated plots within the FCT to commence development of their plots, failure of which their titles shall be revoked for continued contravention of the terms of development of the Right of Occupancy.
“The plots in these categories belong to individuals and corporate organizations, as well as Public Institutions who have continually failed to keep to the terms of agreement as contained in Section 28(5) (a) & (b) of the Land Use Act offering and conveying of the Right of Occupancy”.
