by Ola Williams-
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has vowed to seal off properties in Abuja whose owners have failed to settle their outstanding ground rent, despite multiple grace periods granted by President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking during a media parley in Abuja on Monday, Wike expressed frustration over the continued refusal of some property owners to pay up their debts, describing the situation as unacceptable.
“Mr. President said two weeks, we are more than three months since that grace period. That is Nigeria for you,” the minister lamented. “We have just concluded a programme, and I’m going to seal up all those properties. I’m going to seal them up.”
Wike emphasized that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) would no longer tolerate what he described as a deliberate effort to undermine government revenue generation.
“You can’t deny us the taxes we use for development,” he said. “Pay us the taxes that you are supposed to pay, you said ‘No’. We’ve listened to Mr. President. In his wisdom, he said, ‘Give them two weeks, give them two months.’ We have done that. Some have complied. Some have refused. Now we will act.”
The minister made it clear that enforcement would proceed regardless of public opinion or political interpretations.
“If you have not complied, if you have not paid, we are going to seal it up,” he warned. “This is what we cannot continue to allow in this country.”
The FCTA had earlier sealed several properties over non-payment of ground rent, including the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wadata Plaza. The action was part of a broader enforcement drive that saw the revocation of 4,794 titles for non-payment of ground rent, some of which had been outstanding for up to 43 years.
Affected properties include those owned by individuals, government institutions, and corporate organisations. Following the intervention of President Tinubu, a 14-day grace period was granted in May for all defaulters to regularize their payments, including any accrued penalties.
However, Wike made it clear that the administration would no longer issue warnings.
“It’s no longer business as usual,” he said.
