THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has approved land allocation to members of the FCT Council of Traditional Rulers.
He also granted a waiver on all statutory fees tied to the titles.
Speaking at a ceremony in Abuja on Friday, Wike said the decision followed directives from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stressing the need to recognise and honour indigenous communities in the nation’s capital.
“We cannot deny the fact that there are indigenous people who were here before the creation of the FCT. The President said we must extend a hand of fellowship to you. We must give honour to whom honour is due. If those who make peace cannot be appreciated with land, who should be?” Wike said.
He said it would be unjust to require traditional rulers to pay for land their communities have occupied for generations.
“The president has also said I should waive the payment of statutory fees. We cannot give you the task to go and look for money to pay,” the minister said.
He also pledged to provide utility vehicles to traditional rulers across the territory to enhance their effectiveness in community leadership, as part of efforts to support their functions.
He further highlighted ongoing infrastructure development in satellite towns, including the dualisation of the Airport–Kuje road, the Bwari–Zuba link road, and projects in Apo/Karshi and Gwagwalada, as well as the completion of the Arab Road network.
The FCTA under Wike has been tough with people who have allegedly breached laws relating to land use in the nation’s capital.
The ICIR reported that the FCTA recently released the names of 1,095 individuals and organisations whose properties’ titles were revoked over their failure to settle statutory land charges.
The FCTA said in a notice that enforcement actions would begin after the 14-day final grace period ended on November 25.
Most of the affected properties listed in the properties were mostly in highbrow neighborhoods such as Asokoro, Maitama, Garki, and Wuse area of the nation’s capital.
According to the administration, of the revoked titles, 835 properties defaulted on ground rent payments while 260 failed to pay violation and land use conversion fees.
Among those affected were former governor of Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje; former governor of Cross River, Donald Duke; wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience Jonathan; former Senate President, David Mark; and former deputy governor of Osun State, Iyiola Omisore.
The ICIR also reported in February that Wike approved the nullification of 485 land documents in the nation’s capital due to failed verification.
He said the affected land titles had been removed from the regularisation database, after an extensive review conducted by the Department of Land Administration in collaboration with the Abuja Geographic Information Systems.
The cancelled documents cover various area councils and layouts, including Ushafa Village Expansion Scheme, Ushafa Extension, and Dawaki Extension 1 in Bwari Area Council; Kurudu-Jikwoyi Relocation, Kurudu Commercial, Karu Village Extension, Nyanya Phase IV Extension, Jikwoyi Residential, Sabon Lugbe, and Lugbe I Extension in Abuja Municipal Area Council; and Kuchiyako One layout in Kuje Area Council.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.