The Federal Capital Territory Administration, (FCTA), has threatened to revoke the Certificates of Occupancy C-of-O) of the plots of land belonging to some prominent Nigerians and corporate organisations if they fail to settle the outstanding payments for the certificates within two weeks.
The FCTA issued the threat in a notice to 3,273 allottees of the plots located in the Maitama Disrict of the Territory.
The notice on Friday, 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, listed some owners of the plots to include the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, as well as some former State governors.
Also on the list are a former National Chairman of the ruling APC, Adamu Abdullahi; Third Republic Senate President, Ameh Ebute; Yusuf Buhari and Zahra Buhari (both children of former President Muhammadu Buhari).
Minister of Sports, John Eno, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, and former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Nigige, were also listed.
Serving and former lawmakers on the list are Dino Melaye , Kabiru Marafa, Stella Oduah, Danjuma Goje, Ben Bruce , David Umaru, Saliu Mustapha, Biodun Olujimi, Andy Uba, Philip Aduda, amongst others.
The FCTA said it issued the notice because it is carrying out infrastructural development in the district.
The notice had said: The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), through the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), is carrying out infrastructural development in Maitama II (A10) District. All allottees who have not paid their bills for the Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) are hereby advised to settle their bills in full within two (2) weeks from the date of this publication.
All affected allottees are informed that failure to pay all outstanding land bills, rents, fees, and charges within the stipulated grace period will result in the withdrawal of the offers of Rights of Occupancy (R-of-O) over the said plots of land by the Honourable Minister of the FCT, and reallocation of the lands.
Observers say the notice may be a fresh step to sanitise land administration in the territory allegedly plagued by corruption, land speculation, and bureaucratic delays.
Recall that in August, the FCTA issued a four-month window for all landholders to pay their fees or face the revocation of their titles under the Land Use Act.
While addressing estate developers in November 2023, the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, announced that the cost of obtaining a C-of-O had been pegged at N5 million, with a four-month window for payment.
According to him, the measures were designed to ensure that each housing unit in the FCT is legally documented, providing long-term security for investors and developers while eliminating the loopholes that have allowed fraudulent practices to flourish.
