The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) sealed the premises of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national secretariat, Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS), Access Bank, and Total Energy in Wuse over unpaid ground rent.
It sealed the premises of Ibro Hotel, and Mabuda Company Warehouse, all located in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.
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The Director of Land, FCTA, Chijoke Nwankwoeze, explained during the exercise in Abuja on Monday that the properties have reverted to the FCTA.
Photo credit: Popoola Ademola- Premium Times
Mr Nwankwoeze said that the exercise marks the commencement of taking possession of more than 4,794 revoked properties by the FCTA.
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He explained that the FIRS building on Plot 627, Wuse Zone 5, owed the FCTA ground rent for 25 years.
He also said that the Access Bank building, on Plot No. 2456, Wuse I, Cadastral Zone A02, Abuja, belonging to Rana Tahir Furniture Nig. Ltd had also not paid ground rent for 34 years.
Photo credit: Popoola Ademola – Premium Times
He said the property has thus reverted to the FCTA who has now taken possession thereof.
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Earlier, the enforcement team sealed Total Energy on Plot 534, Cadastral Zone A02, Wuse Zone 1, belonging to Total PLC, over unpaid ground rent for more than 10 years.
Photo credit: Popoola Ademola – Premium Times
The Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, said that the action was to take possession of the property, which had been revoked in March.
Mr Galadima recalled that the FCTA announced its decision to take possession of the more than 4,000 revoked properties in the territory for non-payment of ground rent for more than 10 years.
“So, today is just to comply with what we have said that we are going to take over all the revoked properties, and we are starting with Plot 534, Cadastral Zone A02. That’s Wuse Zone 1, owned by Total PLC,” he said.
Photo credit: Popoola Ademola – Premium Times
FCTA also took possession of Wadata Plaza, the building used by the PDP as its national secretariat, due to 28 years of unpaid ground rent.
Mr Nwankwoeze, said the action followed the revocation of the property’s land title, which was formally served on the property owner, Samaila Kofi, a senator on 14 March.
He explained that the property, located on Plot 1970, Michael Okpara Street, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, was officially reverted to the FCTA after repeated failure to settle outstanding annual ground rent spanning nearly three decades.
He noted that the revocation notice was properly delivered to Kofi’s registered address in Kaduna.
Photo credit: Popoola Ademola – Premium Times
When asked whether the PDP had been notified, Mr Nwankwoeze clarified that the FCTA did not deal with tenants, but only with the rightful property owners recorded in its database.
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The property, he said, was among 4,794 titles revoked in March due to unpaid ground rent totaling more than N6 billion.
“The PDP property is the sixth to be sealed so far. This enforcement exercise will continue until all revoked properties are addressed,” he added.
Also speaking, Lere Olayinka, senior special assistant to the FCT Minister on public communications and social media, rejected any political interpretation of the action.
He emphasised that the operation was purely administrative and conducted in line with the provisions of the Land Use Act.
“This is not a political witch-hunt. It’s an enforcement of land administration regulations,” Mr Olayinka said.
(NAN)
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