Wike-Led FCTA Seals FIRS Office, Bank, Fuel Station, “34 Years of Unpaid Ground Rent”

• The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has sealed an Access Bank branch and Total petrol station in Wuse, Abuja, for failing to pay ground rent for 34 years
• This enforcement, led by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike under the Land Use Act of 1978, follows the revocation of 4,794 land titles in Abuja areas like Wuse and Garki
• The Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, confirmed this in a statement on Monday and shared further details

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

FCT, Abuja - The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Monday, May 26, sealed an Access Bank branch and a Total petrol station located in Zone 6, Wuse, Abuja, over non-payment of ground rent spanning 34 years.

The property occupied by Access Bank is officially allocated to Rana Tahir Furniture Nigeria Limited, not the bank directly, according to official documents.

A letter dated March 13, 2025, signed by the Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, stated:

“The Minister of Federal Capital Territory has in the exercise of powers conferred on him under the Land Use Act No. 6 of 1978, Cap. L5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, revoked your rights, interests and privileges over Plot No. 2456 within Wuse I, Cadastral Zone A02, Abuja.”

As reported by The Punch, the letter cited the continued default in ground rent payment as the reason for the revocation.

“The revocation is in view of your continued contravention of the terms and conditions of grant of the Right of Occupancy by failing to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for Thirty-Four (34) years,” it stated.

FCTA also shut down the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) office in Abuja for similar violations.

Wike seals PDP secretariat

Legit.ng earlier reported that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike ordered the sealing of the PDP national secretariat and 4,793 other properties for ground rent default, starting May 26.

The FCTA confirmed no court injunction prevents action, targeting titleholders who defaulted on payments despite a 21-day grace period.

PDP condemned the sealing, calling it political suppression aimed at stifling opposition, with both current and new secretariats affected.

Read more about FCT land matters involving Wike

• Speaker speaks on his Abuja land revoke
• Wike under fire over FCT demolitions
• Firm drags Wike, others to Abuja High Court, demands N500 million, details emerge

Buhari reacts as Wike revokes 762 plots of land

In a similar development, Legit.ng reported that ex-President Muhammadu Buhari reacted as the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), under minister Nyesom Wike, revoked 762 land allocations in Abuja, over unpaid fees.

The revocation affected Buhari and other notable figures, with a deadline for other landowners to settle outstanding fees or risk losing their Rights of Occupancy (R-of-O).

Garba Shehu, former spokesperson for ex-President Buhari, issued a statement to clarify that the plot in question was owned by the Buhari Foundation, not by Buhari personally.

Source: Legit.ng