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Mr. Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has dismissed allegations of land grabbing leveled against the FCT Administration (FCTA).
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, Olayinka responded to claims circulating on social media accusing the FCTA of seizing land belonging to a construction company. He clarified that the disputed land, located in Life Camp, Plot 2241, Gwarinpa District, Cadastral Zone C02, Abuja, was never owned by the company in question, Paulosa Nigeria Ltd.
Olayinka challenged those making the allegations to provide valid documentation, such as a Right of Occupancy (R of O) or Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), issued by the FCTA.
He explained that Paulosa Nigeria Ltd was granted a temporary R of O in 1984 to use the land as a temporary office. Over the next 36 years, the company built permanent structures on the land and rented them out without government approval.
In 2020, the company applied for the conversion of its temporary R of O to a statutory R of O, which was approved in February 2023 under specific terms and conditions. These conditions included payment of:
- Ground Rent at ₦50,000 per square meter per annum, totaling ₦2.33 million for 2022 and 2023.
- A premium of ₦500 per square meter, amounting to ₦11.66 million.
- Ground rent arrears from 1984 to 2021, amounting to ₦43.14 million.
Olayinka stated that the company failed to fulfill these conditions for over 20 months, leading to the revocation of the approval on October 10, 2024.
He likened the situation to a student losing admission to a university due to failure to meet stipulated requirements, emphasizing that Paulosa Nigeria Ltd had no legitimate claim to the land.
Olayinka also criticized social media activists and legal practitioners for spreading misinformation without proper investigation. He urged such individuals to seek accurate information from relevant government agencies before making public statements.
Specifically, he called out a legal practitioner who alleged that Wike had seized land allocated for recreational purposes. He pointed out that constructing a school and a church on land designated for a recreation park violated the terms of allocation.
The minister’s aide advised agitators to refrain from being used to mislead the public and stressed the importance of verifying claims before taking action.
