Emmanuel OchayiIn a decisive move aimed at enforcing land development regulations and sparking renewed urban progress, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has approved the immediate revocation of 165 plots of land within the serviced districts of the Federal Capital City.
The surprising twist? Some of these plots belong to well-known Nigerians, including political figures and business magnates.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe announcement came through a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of FCT, Olushade Adesola, who explicitly cited violations and contraventions of the terms of land development rights as the primary reasons behind the mass revocation.
The statement indicated that these plot owners had persistently failed to develop their properties in line with the agreed-upon terms, as stipulated in Section 28(5)(a) & (b) of the Land Use Act.
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“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 under listed 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,” stated Adesola.
Prominent figures caught in the crosshairs of this action include the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi; former Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Uffot Joseph Ekaette; former Justice of the Supreme Court and chairman of the National Political Reforms Conference (NPRC), Late Justice Niki Tobi; former Justice of the Supreme Court, Udoma Udo Udoma; two-time Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Kanu Agabi; Chairman of BUA Group, Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu; former Chairman of Leadership Newspapers, Sam Nda-Isaiah; and columnist Donu Kogbara, among others.
Peter Obi’s plot in Katampe District and Liyel Imoke’s plot in Maitama were among those revoked. The affected plots span various districts in the Federal Capital City, including Central Business District, Maitama, Wuse II, Gudu, Wuye, Jabi, Utako, Katampe Extension, Idu Industrial Area, and Asokoro.
The move by Minister Wike aligns with his previous commitment to revoke undeveloped plots and those with unpaid ground rents. In a recent directive, he granted a two-week grace period for defaulting allottees to settle their ground rent obligations or face revocation of their land allocations.
This bold action by Minister Wike sends a clear message about the government’s determination to ensure that allocated land in the FCT is put to productive use and contributes to the city’s development.
Emmanuel Ochayi is a journalist. He is a graduate of the University of Lagos, School of first choice and the nations pride. Emmanuel is keen on exploring writing angles in different areas, including Business, climate change, politics, Education, and others.
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