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.
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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)).
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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, PREMIUM TIMES 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.
READ ALSO: Ground Rent: Wike orders revocation of 1,095 Abuja property titles as FCTA begins enforcement action
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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