– gives 14-day grace
President Bola Tinubu has stopped the takeover of the national secretariat of Nigeria’s leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and 4,793 other properties in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
He granted the properties owners a 14-day grace to settle their outstanding obligations and regularise their documents.
The FCT administration, led by a PDP chieftain and FCT minister Nyesom Wike had revoked the 4,794 properties over alleged non-payment of ground rent for 25 years.
The presidential directive was announced on Monday evening in a statement by Lere Olayinka, media aide to the FCT minister.
Earlier in the day, the FCT Administration commenced enforcement actions against theb4,794 properties over non-payment of ground rents for over 25 years.
The affected properties span a wide range of ownership, including individuals, government agencies, and corporate entities.
Chijioke Nwankwoeze, Director of Land Administration, explained that the enforcement was part of efforts to ensure responsible land management within the FCT.
However, following Tinubu’s intervention, the FCTA has now given defaulting property owners until mid-June to settle outstanding debts and retain their land titles.
Under the new directive, defaulters must not only pay accumulated ground rents but also incur penalties ranging between N2 million and N5 million, depending on the location of the property.
In addition, individuals who have acquired land but failed to complete the legal transfer process—by not registering their deeds or obtaining the Minister’s Consent—must regularize their documents within the two-week window.
Wike has reiterated the administration’s commitment to enforcing compliance, urging all property owners to clear their outstanding occupancy charges promptly.
