Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, his Bayelsa counterpart, Douye Diri, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen are among the 568 Nigerians and firms whose plots of land in Abuja have been revoked on the fresh orders of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Also affected are the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Ibrahim Hadejia, former governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Industry Trade and Investment, John Eno, Chairperson/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, late Sports Minister Bala Kaoje, and Regina Akume, wife of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume,
Mr Wike also ordered the revocation of plots belonging to some serving and former federal lawmakers. They include Shehu Sani, Magnus Abe, David Umaru, Lanre Tejuoso, Oluwole Oke, Lynda Ikpeazu, Orker Jev, Agom Jarigbe, Nicholas Mutu, Gilbert Nnaji, Francis Onyewuchi and Abubakar Fulata.
Two persons -Nkoyo Onnoghen and Usang- relations of a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, are also on the list.
Some companies and agencies that lost their property include Abuja Enterprise Agency, Silver Proof Nigeria Limited, Sali-Tech Commercial Limited, Gimag Integrated Services Limited, and Earth Conscience Limited.
The 568 plots, according to a public notice issued by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Wednesday, were revoked because the allottees failed to pay for their Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O) before the 15 January deadline given to them.
The FCTA said in the publication, “Notice of Withdrawal of Rights of Occupancy in Maitama II, Abuja, ” that it acted pursuant to the provisions of the Land Use Act 1978.
It said, “The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) wishes to inform the allottee (s) of land in Maitama II, Cadastral Zone A10, Abuja, who have failed to pay for their Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) bills after the expiration of grace period granted by the Honourable Minister, Federal Capital Territory that their Right of Occupancy to the land/property have been withdrawn, pursuant to the provisions of Section 28 of the Land Use Act of 1978 for contravention of the terms of grant which obligated the title/interest holders to settle all bills. The general public is, however, invited to note that allottees/title holders who have completed their payments on or before 15/01/25 are not affected by this publication.”