The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has approved the revocation of 4,794 land titles in the FCT, over non-payment of ground rent, estimated at N6.9bn for more than 40 years.
This was contained in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, on Monday, following a press briefing by the Director of Lands, Chijioke Nwanwkoeze, on Monday.
According to the statement, a total of 8,375 property owners in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama and Guzape, had not paid ground rent in the last 43 years.Wike revokes 4,794 FCT land titles over N6.9bn ground rent
Minister of FCT Nyesom Wike
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has approved the revocation of 4,794 land titles in the FCT, over non-payment of ground rent, estimated at N6.9bn for more than 40 years.
This was contained in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, on Monday, following a press briefing by the Director of Lands, Chijioke Nwanwkoeze, on Monday.
According to the statement, a total of 8,375 property owners in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama and Guzape, had not paid ground rent in the last 43 years.
He added that 4,794 land titles are past due on ground rent payments for ten years or more, and that the property owners owed a total of N6,967,980,119. Olayinka added that the payment of ground rentals was made possible by existing regulations and that the revocation came after the FCT Administration made several declarations and publications in the broadcast media from 2023.
It should be mentioned that since 2023, the FCTA has called on defaulters to settle all overdue invoices and ground rents in a number of announcements on broadcast media and in national newspapers. Due to multiple allottees’ nonpayment, none of these received much response.
It is crucial to note that existing laws serve as the foundation for ground rent payments on landed properties in the FCT. The rules and conditions of the Right of Occupancy grant explicitly state that it must be paid on January 1st of each year, without demand. As a result, in the ten oldest districts of Phase 1 of the Federal Capital City (FCC), a list of land titles that are in default of ground rent payment has been created.
These include Guzape (Cadastral Zone A09), Asokoro (Cadastral Zone A04), Maitama (Cadastral Zone A05), Maitama (Cadastral Zone A06), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A07), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A08), Central Area District (Cadastral Zone A00), Garki I (Cadastral Zone A01), Wuse I (Cadastral Zone A02), and Garki II (Cadastral Zone A03).
Since the end of 2024, 8,375 property owners have owed a total of N6,967,980,119 in ground rent. To put it another way, as of last year (2024), 8,375 property owners had not paid ground rent.
There are 4,794 land titles that have not paid ground rent for ten years or more. This indicates that 4,794 property owners in the designated districts have not made ground rent payments in the previous ten years. According to Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act, this is against the terms and conditions of the grant of the Rights of Occupancy,” the statement said.
Olayinka added that land titles for individuals who had fallen behind on payments for ten years or more had been promptly canceled, while those who had fallen behind had twenty-one days to make payments before their titles were also revoked.
As a result, the titles of the properties that have been in arrears for ten years or more have been immediately annulled. Title holders who fail to pay ground rent for one to 10 years are also granted a grace period of 21 days, after which their titles would be withdrawn.
In the meantime, Richard Dauda, the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Development Authority, has been ordered by the FCT Minister to either promptly implement complete compensation for Gishiri Community residents or face termination.
At a meeting with community members on Monday at his official residence in Abuja, Wike issued the directive.
The minister oversaw a demolition operation to remove buildings blocking the construction of Arteria Road N16, which would connect the neighborhood to the Katampe District. This was followed by the meeting.
However, community members said that instead of paying the amount authorized by the minister, the FCDA, acting via the Department of Resettlement and Compensation, only paid N72,000.
They added that even after their homes were demolished, the department would not provide non-indigenous people with any compensation.
The minister was furious and demanded that the people receive the entire N1.3 billion in approved compensation payments. He explained that he had raised the amount from the previous N655 million due to the economic hardship.
He added that the government did not provide compensation based on ethnicity and asked the secretary to make sure non-indigenous people were paid as well.
“Go and give people their money, exactly how much it is.” You will be sorry if I find out what you are doing. Give folks their regular salary. I have also heard that, and I have warned you not to do that or disclose to anyone that they are not Indigenous. You’ve been warned. Why wouldn’t you give me my money if I owned a property and a road passed by? Why do you think I’m not Indigenous? Where is it employed?
For instance, I constructed a store or a house, and a road passes by it. You’re saying that because I’m not Indigenous, you won’t pay me? What is that kind of mindset? You folks ought to put an end to this. I’m not going to do that. Compensation is not given by the government depending on your origins. According to the minister, compensation is determined by who owns property there.Wike revokes 4,794 FCT land titles over N6.9bn ground rent
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has approved the revocation of 4,794 land titles in the FCT, over non-payment of ground rent, estimated at N6.9bn for more than 40 years.
This was contained in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, on Monday, following a press briefing by the Director of Lands, Chijioke Nwanwkoeze, on Monday.
According to the statement, a total of 8,375 property owners in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama and Guzape, had not paid ground rent in the last 43 years.Wike revokes 4,794 FCT land titles over N6.9bn ground rent
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has approved the revocation of 4,794 land titles in the FCT, over non-payment of ground rent, estimated at N6.9bn for more than 40 years.
This was contained in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, on Monday, following a press briefing by the Director of Lands, Chijioke Nwanwkoeze, on Monday.
According to the statement, a total of 8,375 property owners in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama and Guzape, had not paid ground rent in the last 43 years.
He added that 4,794 land titles are past due on ground rent payments for ten years or more, and that the property owners owed a total of N6,967,980,119. Olayinka added that the payment of ground rentals was made possible by existing regulations and that the revocation came after the FCT Administration made several declarations and publications in the broadcast media from 2023.
It should be mentioned that since 2023, the FCTA has called on defaulters to settle all overdue invoices and ground rents in a number of announcements on broadcast media and in national newspapers. Due to multiple allottees’ nonpayment, none of these received much response.
It is crucial to note that existing laws serve as the foundation for ground rent payments on landed properties in the FCT. The rules and conditions of the Right of Occupancy grant explicitly state that it must be paid on January 1st of each year, without demand. As a result, in the ten oldest districts of Phase 1 of the Federal Capital City (FCC), a list of land titles that are in default of ground rent payment has been created.
These include Guzape (Cadastral Zone A09), Asokoro (Cadastral Zone A04), Maitama (Cadastral Zone A05), Maitama (Cadastral Zone A06), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A07), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A08), Central Area District (Cadastral Zone A00), Garki I (Cadastral Zone A01), Wuse I (Cadastral Zone A02), and Garki II (Cadastral Zone A03).
Since the end of 2024, 8,375 property owners have owed a total of N6,967,980,119 in ground rent. To put it another way, as of last year (2024), 8,375 property owners had not paid ground rent.
There are 4,794 land titles that have not paid ground rent for ten years or more. This indicates that 4,794 property owners in the designated districts have not made ground rent payments in the previous ten years. According to Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act, this is against the terms and conditions of the grant of the Rights of Occupancy,” the statement said.
Olayinka added that land titles for individuals who had fallen behind on payments for ten years or more had been promptly canceled, while those who had fallen behind had twenty-one days to make payments before their titles were also revoked.
As a result, the titles of the properties that have been in arrears for ten years or more have been immediately annulled. Title holders who fail to pay ground rent for one to 10 years are also granted a grace period of 21 days, after which their titles would be withdrawn.
In the meantime, Richard Dauda, the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Development Authority, has been ordered by the FCT Minister to either promptly implement complete compensation for Gishiri Community residents or face termination.
At a meeting with community members on Monday at his official residence in Abuja, Wike issued the directive.
The minister oversaw a demolition operation to remove buildings blocking the construction of Arteria Road N16, which would connect the neighborhood to the Katampe District. This was followed by the meeting.
However, community members said that instead of paying the amount authorized by the minister, the FCDA, acting via the Department of Resettlement and Compensation, only paid N72,000.
They added that even after their homes were demolished, the department would not provide non-indigenous people with any compensation.
The minister was furious and demanded that the people receive the entire N1.3 billion in approved compensation payments. He explained that he had raised the amount from the previous N655 million due to the economic hardship.
He added that the government did not provide compensation based on ethnicity and asked the secretary to make sure non-indigenous people were paid as well.
“Go and give people their money, exactly how much it is.” You will be sorry if I find out what you are doing. Give folks their regular salary. I have also heard that, and I have warned you not to do that or disclose to anyone that they are not Indigenous. You’ve been warned. Why wouldn’t you give me my money if I owned a property and a road passed by? Why do you think I’m not Indigenous? Where is it employed?
For instance, I constructed a store or a house, and a road passes by it. You’re saying that because I’m not Indigenous, you won’t pay me? What is that kind of mindset? You folks ought to put an end to this. I’m not going to do that. Compensation is not given by the government depending on your origins. According to the minister, compensation is determined by who owns property there.
