The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has vowed to prevent any unauthorised acquisition of land within the territory.
The minister made this declaration on Thursday while handing over 50 operational vehicles to security agencies in Abuja.
Expressing concern over the activities of land grabbers in the FCT, Wike stated:
“We will stop anybody who thinks they can obtain government land for whatever reason without formal approval.
“We will not consider who you are. Whether you are a civil rights activist or a television commentator, what is wrong is wrong. No amount of blackmail will deter us.”
This statement follows remarks by Mr Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Minister, who on Wednesday refuted allegations of land grabbing against the FCT Administration.
In a statement, Olayinka addressed claims made in a circulating video on social media, in which it was alleged that the FCTA had seized land belonging to a construction company.
Olayinka clarified that the land in question, located at Life Camp, Plot 2241, Gwarinpa District, Cadastral Zone C02, Abuja, had been occupied by Paulosa Nigeria Ltd as a temporary office under a provisional Right of Occupancy granted in 1984—approximately 40 years ago.
He challenged those spreading false claims to provide evidence, such as a Right of Occupancy or Certificate of Occupancy, issued by the FCTA.
Echoing this stance, Wike emphasised that temporary site allocations for construction projects do not confer permanent ownership.
“Show me the document proving the land belongs to you. I am not someone you can intimidate by going on television and claiming you’ve lived there for 20 years. So what? You are merely a squatter.
“If your husband had a company that executed a project for the FCT and was given a temporary site, that doesn’t make it your husband’s property—it simply doesn’t,” Wike affirmed.