?FCT Minister accused of reallocating approved recreational plot for mixed use development

By SYDNEY WUCHE

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike may have grabbed the tiger by the tail by means of the frenetic pace at which he is demolishing people?s properties in the FCT despite public outcry and multifarious court orders. While Wike claims that the affected properties are illegal, the victims, numbering in their thousands, dismiss that as a lame excuse to grab their lands and houses and hand them over to his friends and cronies. The controversy will likely not abate soon considering the deluge of reports, petitions and court summons totaling about 1,000 by the affected individuals and corporate entities who insist that their land titles were revoked contrary to the provisions of the Land Use Act.

Daily, the news media is inundated with reports of alleged revocation of land and reallocation of same to individuals and companies for their private use contrary to Extent Laws and Procedures ? a gamble by Minister Wike which analysts warn may cost the Federal Government billions of Naira in damages, derail the development of the Federal Capital Territory and discourage both local and foreign investors from investing in the FCT.

More so, the non-adherence to laid-down procedure seems to have overtaken the rules guiding allocation, revocation and reallocation of lands in the Federal Capital Territory. In most cases, files are opened under one month, allocations of Right of Occupancy granted under two days and the Certificate of Occupancy issued under hours by the FCT Minister.

In one of such cases of flagrant breach of laid-down rules and approval given by former Ministers, on Application by Excess Energy Ltd, the Director, Park and Recreation Department on the 15/12/2017 conveyed the Minister?s Approval for Allocation of Park Plot 1606, Cadastral Zone A09, Guzape District vide Letter of Intent to develop the Park to it.

Interestingly, in compliance with the Park Policy published in Official Gazette No. 70, Vol. 106, the Department of Urban & Regional Planning and Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) on the 24th March, 2022 confirmed to the Director of Parks and Recreation that from the Harmonised Land Use, Park Plot 1606, Cadastral Zone A09, Guzape District is designated as a Green area suitable for passive recreational purposes.

The Company thereby paid the Ground Rent and obtained the Conveyance of Provisional Approval for fencing and securing the Plot from the Parks & Recreation Department. It also paid compensation to natives for economic crops on the Land with the consent and approval of Department of Resettlement and compensation.

Following the payment and total compliance, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council empowered to manage all Park Plots in the Federal Capital Territory granted Excess Energy Ltd 30 (Thirty) years sub-lease in respect of the plot commencing from the 1st day of June, 2023 and was subsequently issued Building Plan Approval for Recreational Park Development by the Department of Development Control and all requisite fees were paid.

The Company thereafter commenced development of the Park Plot under strict supervision of the Officials of Department of Development Control.

The Company was however taken unawares when officials from the Ministers office on the 18th day of November, 2018, marked its building in the Plot ?QUIT? despite the Pendency of Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1870/2021: Charis Holiday Resort Enterprises V. The Hon. Minister of FCT & 5 others, wherein the witness of the Minister, FCT had testified and tendered documents in proof of Excess Energy?s possessory right over the Plot.

Excess Energy immediately filed Motion Exparte and Motion on Notice for Injunction against the Minister of FCT and the Court on the 20th November 2024 graciously granted an interim injunction restraining the Minister from interfering with the Park Plot pending the hearing of the Motion on Notice fixed for 29th November, 2024.

The court bailiff duly served the Minister of FCT the Interim Order of Injunction on the 20th day of November, 2024 and on the 21st day of November, 2024 the entire property and Company?s buildings on the Plot was demolished by the Minister, FCT.

Investigations however revealed that Wike had already perfected plans to allocate same Plot to a company named Eagle Eye Integrated Drive Concept Limited (Eagle Eye). Further checks revealed that Eagle Eye applied for allocation of Land in FCT on the 6th September, 2024 and Offer of Statutory Right of Occupancy was issued to it over Plot 1606, Guzape District on the 18th day of November, 2024 for mixed use development as against the passive recreation stated in the harmonized layout of Guzape District same day the Honourable Minister, FCT Ezenwo Nyesom Wike marked ?QUIT? on the buildings on the Plot.

Eagle Eye accepted the Offer of Statutory Right of Occupancy on the 19th November, 2024 and the Certificate of Occupancy with No. 100ew-10804-5053r-9d3au-6u1 and registered as Number 66913 page 1 Volume 335 was ready as at 21st November, 2024, the Minister, FCT demolished Excess Energy buildings on the Plot and handed over possession of the Plot to Eagle Eye.

According to Saliu Gimbia, Director of Excess Energy Ltd, most of the properties demolished recently are for land grabbing and reallocation to Wike?s cronies and fronts. ?The allegations that the demolition are in respect of properties without genuine title documents are bogus and smokescreen. An independent investigation will reveal otherwise,? Gimbia said.

The traumatised investor noted that ?it is quite unfortunate that Wike, a Public Officer will for selfish interest, use his official position to inflict pains and sufferings on Nigerians.?

?The President should be act fast to redress the situation,? Gimbia prayed, echoing the feelings of the multitude victims of Wike?s roaring bulldozers.

?Sydney Wuche is an Abuja-based journalist and public affairs analyst..

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