By David Aduge-Ani, Abuja

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has announced that the administration will begin seizing 4,794 properties on Monday, May 26, due to non-payment of ground rent.

Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, and the Director of Lands, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, Wike informed newsmen at the weekend that the FCT Administration (FCTA) would start taking possession of the properties.

The administration had previously announced the revocation of 4,794 land titles in March across districts including Asokoro, Maitama, Central Area, Garki, Wuse, and Guzape.

“Ownership of the 4,794 properties in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape districts has already reverted to the FCTA,” Nwankwoeze stated. “As from next week, the government will begin to exercise its rights of ownership on the affected landed properties. This will be done without consideration as to ownership of the affected landed properties. It will be purely in line with extant laws and regulations guiding the process.”

The Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, added that the affected properties would be sealed and access to them restricted from Monday. He noted that the FCTA would decide their future use in due course.

Regarding potential legal challenges, the Director of Lands confirmed that no court order was stopping the action, allowing the FCTA to proceed with its lawful functions.

Nwankwoeze clarified that the 4,794 properties are part of a larger total of 8,375 land titles with outstanding ground rent payments, some dating back one to 43 years.

“We did say then that consequent upon the revocation of these titles, ownership of the affected properties has reverted to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA),” he reiterated. “As from Monday, May 26, 2025, the FCTA will begin to take possession of the affected properties, using relevant agencies of government. Relevant agencies of the FCTA are already compiling records of compliance and non-compliance with this directive.”

He emphasized that ground rent payment is a legal obligation stipulated in the terms and conditions of Right of Occupancy grants, due annually on January 1 without demand. He recalled that the list of defaulting land titles was compiled in March in the ten oldest districts of Phase 1 of the Federal Capital City (FCC), including Central Area District (Cadastral Zone A00), Garki I (Cadastral Zone A01), Wuse I (Cadastral Zone A02), Garki II (Cadastral Zone A03), Asokoro (Cadastral Zone A04), Maitama (Cadastral Zone A05), Maitama (Cadastral Zone A06), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A07), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A08), and Guzape (Cadastral Zone A09). This non-compliance contravenes Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.