Still on Wike’s alleged continuous land grabbing in FCT: How he reallocated approved recreational plot for mixed use development

By Johnson Oluwafemi

The issues of alleged illegal Land grabbing and demolition of sundry property in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, may have become a habitual process that will not abate any time soon with the deluge of reports, petitions and court summons totaling about 1000 secured by the affected individuals and corporate entities who may have had their land revoked in breach of the Land Use Act.

The news media are daily inundated with reports of alleged revocation of land and reallocation of the same land to individuals and companies for their private use contrary to extant laws and procedures by the Minister, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike. These breaches may cost the government billions of Naira in damages, derail the development of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and discourage both local and foreign investors from investing in the Territory.

Also, the non-adherence to laid-down procedures seems to have overtaken the rules guiding allocation, revocation and reallocation of land in the Federal Capital Territory. In most cases, files are opened under one month, allocations of Right of Occupancy granted under two days, and the Certificate of Occupancy issued under hours by the FCT authorities on the watch of the minister.

One of such cases of flagrant breach of laid-down rules and approvals given by former Ministers, was an application by Excess Energy Ltd. The Director, Park and Recreation Department on the 15/12/2017 conveyed the Minister’s Approval for Allocation of Park Plot 1606, Cadastral Zone A09, Guzape District vide a Letter of Intent to develop the Park on it.

Interestingly, in compliance with the Park Policy published in Official Gazette No. 70, Vol. 106, the Department of Urban & Regional Planning and Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) on the 24th March, 2022 confirmed to the Director of Parks and Recreation that from the Harmonised Land Use, Park Plot 1606, Cadastral Zone A09, Guzape District is designated as a Green area suitable for passive recreational purposes.

The Company consequently paid the ground rent and obtained the Conveyance of Provisional Approval for fencing and securing the plot from the Parks & Recreation Department. It also paid compensation to natives for economic crops on the land with the consent and approval of the Department of Resettlement and compensation.

Following the payment and total compliance, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council empowered to manage all Park plots in the Federal Capital Territory granted Excess Energy Ltd 30 (Thirty) years sub-lease in respect of the plot commencing from the 1st day of June, 2023 and was subsequently issued Building Plan Approval for Recreational Park Development by the Department of Development Control and all requisite fees were paid.

The Company thereafter commenced development of the Park plot under strict supervision of the officials of Department of Development Control.

The Company was, however, taken unawares when officials from the Minister’s office on the 18th day of November, 2018, marked its building on the Plot “QUIT” despite the Pendency of Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1870/2021: Charis Holiday Resort Enterprises V. The Hon. Minister of FCT & 5 others, wherein the witness of the Minister, FCT had testified and tendered documents in proof of Excess Energy’s possessory right over the plot.

Excess Energy immediately filed a motion ex parte and motion on notice for injunction against the Minister of FCT and the Court on the 20th November 2024 graciously granted an interim injunction restraining the Minister from interfering with the Park plot pending the hearing of the motion on notice fixed for 29th November, 2024.

The court bailiff duly served the Minister of FCT the Interim order of injunction on the 20th day of November, 2024 and on the 21st day of November, 2024 the entire property and company’s buildings on the Plot were demolished on the orders of the Minister of FCT.

Investigations, however, showed that Wike had already perfected plans to allocate the same plot to a company named Eagle Eye Integrated Drive Concept Limited (Eagle Eye).

Further checks showed that Eagle Eye applied for allocation of land in FCT on the 6th September, 2024 and Offer of Statutory Right of Occupancy was issued to it over Plot 1606, Guzape District on the 18th day of November, 2024 for mixed use development as against the passive recreation stated in the harmonized layout of Guzape District the same day the Honourable Minister, FCT Ezenwo Nyesom Wike marked ‘QUIT’ on the buildings on the plot.

Eagle Eye accepted the Offer of Statutory Right of Occupancy on the 19th November, 2024, and the Certificate of Occupancy with No. 100ew-10804-5053r-9d3au-6u1 and registered as Number 66913, page 1 Volume 335, was ready as of 21st November, 2024, the day the Minister of FCT demolished Excess Energy buildings on the plot and handed over possession of the plot to Eagle Eye.

According to Saliu Gimbia, most of the property demolished recently were for land grabbing and reallocation to Wike’s cronies and fronts.

The allegations that the demolition is in respect of property without genuine title documents are bogus and smokescreen. An independent investigation will reveal otherwise.

It is quite unfortunate that Wike, a public officer, will, for selfish interest, use his official position to inflict pains and sufferings on Nigerians.

The president should act fast to redress the situation before Wike makes too many enemies for his administration.

This administration is Tinubu’s administration and not Wike’s administration. After all, he wanted to be president, but failed. For someone who tried to see Nigerians’ mandate but was stopped midstream at his party’s convention, what if he had become president, he would have extended his breach of due process, nay, impunity, countrywide.

● Johnson Oluwafemi is a freelance journalist.