By Sarah NEGEDU
High profile individuals including the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, former Cross River state governor, Liyel Imoke, were among top politicians whose lands were revoked by the FCT Administration for failing to develop them.
The FCTA had, Thursday night, announced the revocation of 165 plots in the serviced districts of the Federal Capital City due to the refusal or failure of their allottees to develop them.
A statement signed by the Director of Information and Communication, FCT, Muhammad Hazat, the revocation of the affected plots was approved by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, following the violation of the terms of Rights of Occupancy.
The Abuja Inquirer gathered that the plots compiled by the Land Department, indicated that 41 plots were revoked in Maitama, Gudu, Wuye districts, while Katampe, Katampe Extension, Wuse 2, Jabi, Utako, Idu Industrial zone, and Asokoro had the second highest revocation of 39 plots.
Hazat, in the statement explained that the revocation had become necessary due to continuous contravention of the terms of agreement as encapsulated in the 1978 Land Use Act.
According to the statement, “The Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA hereby informs the general public that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory has, in the exercise of the powers conferred on him under Section 28(5)(a) & (b) of the Land Use Act 1978, revoked the underlisted plots with names and titles as reflected in our records for continued contravention of the terms of development of the Right of Occupancy to wit non-development.”
He said the 165 plots are, “situated within some districts in the FCC namely: Central Business District, Maitama (A05); Maitama (A06); Wuse II (A08); Gudu (B01) and Wuye (B03).
“Others are Jabi (B04); Utako (B05); Katampe Extension (B19); Idu Industrial Area (C16) and Asokoro (A04) Districts respectively.”
Some of the plots revoked in Maitama district A05 had names like Liyel Imoke, Musa Aboki Egu, Hassan Hadejia and Ishaya Baba.
In Jabi, some of the plots revoked had allottees such as Sam Nda-Isaiah, Donubari Josephine Kogbara, while Katampe district had Peter Gregory Obi, BUA international among others.
In other areas, this revoked had names as Julius Berger Nigeria, Honeywell Construction, Uffot Joseph Ekaette, Shittu Mohammed, Udoma Udo Udoma, Kanu Agabi, Niki Niki Tobi, Ishaku Bello, and others.
Recall that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had on assumption of office vowed to restore the master plan of the territory and revoke plots that had not been developed or those whose ground rents have not been paid for years.