The Federal Capital Territory Administration has issued a stern warning to 3,273 land allottees in Maitama District, Abuja, including some prominent Nigerians, threatening to revoke their land Certificates of Occupancy if they fail to settle outstanding payments within two weeks.
The notice was sent out by the FCTA due to the need to fund ongoing infrastructural development in Maitama II District, Cadastral Zone A10, Abuja.
Among those listed in the notice are the children of former President Muhammadu Buhari, Yusuf and Zahra Buhari, along with Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President; Abbas Tajudeen, Speaker of the House of Representatives; George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation; and Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior. Former Senate President Bukola Saraki and several former governors like Rochas Okorocha, Ibikunle Amosun, and Tanko Al-Makura also feature on the list.
The FCTA’s notice, titled *“Demand notice for payment of Right of Occupancy bills for issuance of Certificates of Occupancy on all lands allocated at Maitama II District, Cadastral Zone, A10, Abuja,”* is part of an effort to sanitize land administration in Abuja and reduce land speculation.
“All allottees who have not paid their bills for the Certificate of Occupancy are hereby advised to settle their bills in full within two weeks from the date of this publication,” the notice read. It also warned that failure to comply would result in the withdrawal of their Rights of Occupancy and reallocation of the land.
This move is part of broader reforms aimed at tackling issues such as corruption, land speculation, and bureaucratic delays that have plagued Abuja’s land administration system. The FCTA Director of Land Administration, Ekarikpong Ukpanah, noted that non-payment of land fees is not just an administrative oversight but a violation of the Land Use Act.
Ukpanah said, *“It has contributed to unchecked land speculation, which has delayed real estate and infrastructural development across the FCT.”*
The FCTA is prioritizing developers who comply with payment terms to ensure that Abuja’s infrastructure can be improved.
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has been at the forefront of these reforms. He recently pegged the cost of obtaining a C-of-O at N5 million and gave landholders a four-month window to pay. Wike also promised to eliminate multiple land allocations and link land applications to the National Identification Number to curb fraud.
Acknowledging that some of these reforms might hurt wealthy individuals, Wike emphasized, “The rich will kick against some of our decisions, but anything that will help our people must be done.”
He also inaugurated a task force to oversee the issuance of C-of-Os and ensure proper documentation for housing estates in the capital city, saying these measures were necessary for the FCT’s long-term development.
The two-week ultimatum from the FCTA has now put the prominent allottees on notice, and all eyes are on whether they will comply or face losing their land plots in one of Abuja’s most prestigious districts.
