Rent or Lose It: Wike Strips Landowners of 4,794 Titles Over N6.9bn Unpaid Rent

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has authorised the revocation of 4,794 land titles in the FCT due to over 40 years of nonpayment of ground rent, valued at N6.9 billion.

Following a press conference by the Director of Lands, Chijioke Nwanwkoeze, on Monday, this was included in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.

The statement claims that 8,375 property owners in the Central Area, as well as those in Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape, have failed to pay ground rent for the last 43 years.

He said that the landowners owed N6,967,980,119 in total and that 4,794 land titles were past due on ground rent payments for ten years or more.

Olayinka stated that the revocation came after the FCT Administration made several declarations and publications in the media since 2023 and that existing legislation permitted the payment of ground rentals.

“It should be noted that the FCTA made numerous publications in national newspapers and announcements on broadcast media since 2023, calling on defaulters to pay up all outstanding bills and ground rents. All these yielded little response, as several allottees failed to pay.

“It is important to state that payment of ground rent on landed properties in the FCT is founded on extant legislation. It is clearly stipulated in the terms and conditions of the grant of Right of Occupancy, and it is due for payment on the first day of January, each year, without demand.

“Consequently, a list of land titles in default of payment of ground rent has been compiled in the ten oldest districts of Phase 1 of the Federal Capital City (FCC). They are; 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).

“As of the end of 2024 and up till today, a total of N6,967,980,119 is owed as ground rent by 8,375 property owners. In other words, a total of 8,375 property owners have not paid ground rent up to last year, 2024.

“A total of 4,794 land titles are in default of ground rent payment for 10 years and above. Meaning that in the listed districts, 4,794 property owners have not paid ground rent in the last 10 years. This is in contravention of the terms and conditions of grant of the Rights of Occupancy, in line with the provisions of Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act,” part of the statement read.

Olayinka said that land titles for individuals who had fallen behind on payments for ten years or more had been promptly revoked, while others who had fallen behind had twenty-one days to make payments before their titles were also revoked.

“Consequently, the titles of the properties in default of payment of Ground Rent for 10 years and above have been revoked forthwith. A grace of 21 Days is also given to title holders that are in default of payment of ground rent for between one and ten years, after which the affected titles will be revoked.”

In the meanwhile, Richard Dauda, the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Development Authority, has been ordered by the FCT Minister to either promptly implement complete compensation for Gishiri Community residents or face termination.

At a meeting with community members on Monday at his official house in Abuja, Wike issued the instruction.

The minister oversaw a demolition effort to remove buildings blocking the development of Arteria Road N16, which would connect the neighbourhood to the Katampe District.

However, community members said that instead of paying the amount authorised by the minister, the FCDA, acting via the Department of Resettlement and Compensation, only paid N72,000.

They added that despite having their homes demolished, the department refused to provide non-indigenes with any compensation.

Furious, the minister ordered the full N1.3 billion to be paid to the residents as compensation, stating that he had raised the amount from the previous N655 million due to economic hardship.

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He also asked the secretary to make sure non-indigenes received payments as well, adding that the government did not provide compensation based on ethnicity.

“Go and pay people their money, and the exact amount. If you are doing anything, and I find out, you will regret it. Pay people their normal money.

“And I also hear, and I’ve told you, don’t do that, don’t tell anybody in this world that they are non-indigenes. I’ve warned you. If I have a property, and a road is passing there, why would you not pay me my money? Why would you say that I’m a non-indigene? Where does it work?

“I built a house, or I built a store, for example, and then a road is passing there. You are telling me you won’t compensate me that I’m a non-indigene? What kind of mentality is that? You people should stop this. I will not do that, I won’t. The government does not pay compensation based on where you come from. Compensation is based on who has a property there,” the minister said.

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