The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has given a fresh two-week deadline for owners of 762 plots of land in the Maitama II District, Cadastral Zone A10, Abuja, to settle the payment for their Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O), or face permanent revocation of their land allocations.
This directive follows the FCT Administration’s recent revocation of land titles held by prominent individuals, including former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen; House of Representatives Speaker, Tajudeen Abass; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, among others, for failing to pay for their C-of-Os.
A statement issued on Friday by Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the minister, emphasized that the primary goal of the FCT administration was not to seize the land, but to ensure that the owners fulfill their payment obligations to the government.
The statement explained that on October 5, 2024, the FCT published a list of 3,273 land allottees who had yet to make payments for their C-of-Os.
They were given a two-week window to make payments or lose their Right of Occupancy (R-of-O). By the end of that period, 2,511 allottees had complied, leaving 762 still in default.
“On Thursday, a notice was published announcing the withdrawal of R-of-O titles from the 762 defaulters. However, many of the affected allottees have now expressed willingness to pay, prompting the government to extend a two-week grace period,” the statement read.
Wike has now given the defaulters, along with 614 others with outstanding C-of-O payments, until January 3, 2025, to settle their dues.
After this deadline, the revocation of their R-of-O titles will be final, with no further extensions, in accordance with Section 28 of the Land Use Act of 1978.
This move is part of the government’s effort to enforce accountability and ensure that landowners meet their financial responsibilities to the state.
