Respite for PDP, FIRS, Others as Tinubu Intervenes in FCTA Ground Rent Debts

•Grants defaulters 14-day grace to pay up

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Following the outcry generated by the decision of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to possess the 4,794 properties revoked for non-payment of ground rent, from 10 to 43 years, President Bola Tinubu has intervened by granting the defaulters a 14-day window to clear their debt.

The Director of Land, FCTA, Mr Chijoke Nwankwoeze, disclosed this last night while addressing the press.

The enforcement exercise that began yesterday saw properties owned by government institutions, corporate organisations and individuals being sealed off and with ownership now transferred to the FCTA.

Nwankwoeze, accompanied by the SSA Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said through the president’s intervention, holders of the affected properties now have two weeks to settle the outstanding ground rents, with associated penalties.

He said for properties in the Central Area, the sum of N5 million would be paid by the defaulters as penalty, in addition to the ground rent owed, while those in Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse II, and Guzape Districts would pay the sum of N3 million as penalty, in addition to the ground rent owed.

Defaulters in Wuse I, Garki I and Garki II would pay N2 million as penalty in addition to the ground rent owed.

“Also, all those who purchased properties from other people, but are yet to register their interests by obtaining the mandatory Minister’s Consent and registering their Deeds of Assignment now have 14 days (two weeks) to do so at the FCT Department of Land Administration.

“Furthermore, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, has granted a 14 days (two weeks) grace period to all property holders in the FCT to pay up their Right of Occupancy (R-of-O)/Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) bills, or risk revocation of those titles.

“Going forward, the Minister has advised property owners in the FCT to ensure that they pay all necessary bills and charges on their properties as at and when due, so as to enable the government to continue to carry out necessary developmental projects for the benefit of the people.”

The FCTA had sealed off Wadata Plaza, the headquarters of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), among others over ground rent indebtedness.

Other premises possessed in Wuse Area of Abuja during yesterday’s exercise, included the Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS), Ibro Hotel, Nigeria by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Access Bank and Total Energy.

In all, the titles of over 4,794 properties were revoked for defaulting in paying ground rent amounting to N6.9 billion for between 10 and 43 years.

The Director of Land, FCTA, Mr Chijoke Nwankwoeze, clarified during the exercise that what was physically repossessed was the property belonging to Senator Samaila Mamman Kofi that PDP was occupying.

He insisted that there was no political undertone behind the action, adding the occupants were duly also served evacuation order.

He noted that the property had since March 2025 been revoked while the occupants had been repeatedly warned to vacate the building to enable the FCTA take effective possession of the property.

“We don’t deal with occupants, we deal with property owners, we don’t deal with occupants or tenants. Senator Samaila Mamman Kofi was duly served the revocation notice and out of abundance of caution, we also came here and pasted the revocation notice served on Samaila Mamman Kofi at his Kaduna address, the address on record.

“Samaila Mamman Kofi is the owner of the property and the address we have in our records for him is that of Kaduna and we duly served him. This is a copy of the revocation notice and the evidence of service, this is him, served since the 14th of March 2025 and a copy of this was duly pasted at the gate of this building.

“So, I don’t know if you are talking of writing to PDP, we don’t normally write to tenants or occupants, we write to the owners of the property, that is with whom we have a contract,” Nwankwoeze said.

He said available record showed that the owner of the property was owing FCTA 28 years of ground rent.

He added that the onus is now on the owner of the property to approach the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike on the possibility of regaining possession, and of getting any consideration, saying that will be decided by the minister.

Earlier, the FCTA had taken possession of the premises of Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS), Ibro Hotel, Access Bank and Total Energy in Wuse also due to non-payment of ground rent.

The enforcement led by the Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, followed a statement issued last week by FCTA threatening revocation of all affected titles over non-compliance with statutory obligations.

Galadima said Total Energy on plot 534 Cadastral zone A02 Wuse Zone 1, had accumulated over a decade of unpaid ground rent, leading the authority to revoke their title in March 2025, while the property hosting Access Bank branch located on plot 2456, Wuse 1, Cadastral Zone A02, and belonging to Rana Taher Furniture Nigeria Limited, was revoked over non-payment of 34 years of unpaid ground rent.

“So, today is just to comply with what we have said that we are going to take over all the revoked properties and we are starting with a plot 534 Cadastral zone A02 that Wuse Zone 1, owned by Total PLC,” he said. 

Also, in relation to the Access Bank branch, the Director of Land, FCTA, Mr Chijoke C, said the title had legally reverted to the FCT, as such the occupants must vacate or resolve their land title through official channel.

He also stressed that the claims by FIRS that it was not owing on its building, located in Wuse Zone 5, as untrue. According to him, FIRS was owing FCTA ground rent amounting to 25 years.