Wike Revokes Land Allocation Granted to Patience Jonathan and 20 Others

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike has revoked 21 plots of land in Abuja’s Central Business District CBD.

This was made known in revocation notice signed by the permanent secretary in the FCT Administration, Mr Olusade Adesola said the minister took the decision, “in the exercise of the powers conferred on him under Section 28(5)(a) & (b) of the Land Use Act 1978”.

According to Adesola, lands were revoked “for continued contravention of the terms of development of the Right of Occupancy to wit non-development”.

Some of the allottees affected by the revocation include Lowe Lintas, Tourist Company of Nigeria, Coscharis Motors, CFA Motors, Chidol Properties, Former First Lady, Patience Jonathan among others.

Meanwhile, Wike has approved a three-month grace period for owners of 189 undeveloped plots of land in the territory to begin to develop them or get their allocation papers revoked.

The director of information and communication at the FCT Administration, Mr Muhammad Sule, stated this yesterday in Abuja that the affected titled holders had obtained building plan approvals, but were yet to develop the properties.

He said the affected property owners were expected to develop the property within the stipulated period or have their title documents revoked in line with extant laws.

The grace period, he explained, applied to individuals and to corporate organisations that had shown the desire to develop their property by obtaining building plan approvals.

He added that public institutions that had land titles within the FCT but yet to develop the same were also advised to do so within the three months grace period to avoid the sanction.

“The minister has extended this gesture to 189 property owners due to their desire to develop the properties by obtaining building plan approvals, a prerequisite for the development of any property in the FCT.

“Owners of the plots were exempted from revocation because they had already demonstrated firm commitment to develop their property by obtaining necessary documents from the FCT Administration.

“The minister is urging the affected property owners to take advantage of the gesture and develop their plots in line with the terms of their Offer of Right-of-Occupancy,’’ Sule stated.

• Yusuf Oketola