A day after revoking the lands of former President Muhammadu Buhari and others concerning Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O), the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has set a new deadline for owners of 762 plots in Maitama II District, Cadastral Zone A10, Abuja.
The New Daily Prime earlier reported that Wike revoked lands that belong to Buhari, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume and 759 other prominent figures and organisations in Maitama II, Abuja.
However, Buhari in a statement by his aide, Garba Shehu denied that his principal land was among the revoked lands.
In a statement released today by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike announced a two-week ultimatum for the landowners to pay for their C-of-O.
He warned that failure to do so would result in the final revocation of their land allocations.
The Minister emphasised that the primary goal was not to dispossess individuals of their land but to ensure that they fulfil the necessary payment obligations to the government.
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The statement read: “It should be recalled that on October 5, 2024, a list of 3,273 allottees/title holders that were yet to pay for their C-of-O was published. They were offered two weeks to pay their bills or lose their Right of Occupancy (R-of-O) titles. Out of the 3,273, a total of 2,511 complied, leaving 762.
“Yesterday, a notice of withdrawal of the R-of-O titles of the 762 defaulters was published. Since then, many of the affected allottees have offered to pay, and since the primary aim of the government is to ensure payment, a two-week grace has been given.
“Consequently, the 762 allottees and the 614 others with outstanding payment on C-of-O will have till January 3, 2025, to pay, or have their R-of-O titles withdrawn, pursuant to the provisions of Section 28 of the Land Use Act of 1978.
“After January 3, 2025, no further extension and withdrawal of the R-of-O titles of defaulters will be final.”
