ABUJA: Federal Capital Territory FCT minister, Nyesom Wike has granted a 30-day grace period for land use violators in the territory to revert to their original land uses while also paying a N5 million penalty.
The penalty is alongside a 7.5% charge on the Assessed Capital Value of illegally converted properties.
This was as properties in some parts of the FCT found to be in violation of land use regulations have been valued at over ₦1.03 trillion.
Wike made this known in Tuesday in Abuja when he received reports from two committees set up to examine the land use abuses and also look into a land deal involving JonahCapital Nigeria Limited.
He said; “I am not going to leave anybody to go free. We are looking for money to carry on projects. If you fall into our trap, it is your business. If you do not want to pay, we take back your title, sell it and still raise money.
“Certain areas are designated for residential, others for commercial. But people believe they can do anything without government approval. If you do not sanction them, it will continue”.
Presenting the report, Chairman of the Land Use and Purposes Clause Committee, and Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, disclosed that many properties in highbrow districts such as Ademola Adetokunbo Street, Aminu Kano Crescent, Yakubu Gowon Street, and Gana Street had been unlawfully converted from their original purposes to residential, commercial, or mixed-use developments.
According to him, the cumulative capital value of such properties stood at ₦1,037,478,716,500, adding that sanctions such as sealing, demolition, revocation, or withdrawal of titles await owners who fail to comply with the new directives.
The committee had recommended sweeping reforms, including land use conversions, new fees and reissuance of title documents.
The committee reported that the Development Lease Agreement DLA was originally signed between the Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA and JonahCapital Nigeria Limited for a seven-year mass housing project. However, it found that JonahCapital had unlawfully transferred rights to third parties — including through powers of attorney and agreements — without FCDA’s consent.
This led to multiple developers, including Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited and Paulo Homes Limited, claiming authority over the land, despite not being parties to the original agreement.
The committee also revealed several issues including the unauthorized issuance of Rights of Occupancy (R-of-Os) by third parties; risks of corporate identity manipulation due to two companies with similar names — “JonahCapital Nigeria Limited” (2006) and “Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited” (2017); inconsistencies in building approvals, with 10,794 families occupying units despite approval for only 7,985; thousands of unprocessed titles for legitimate subscribers; and, several subsisting but unenforced court judgments, fueling disputes and security threats in the estate.
The committee stressed that while the DLA may have expired or been terminated, the rights of genuine subscribers who bought housing units in good faith remain protected under law.
To address irregularities, the committee recommended converting the land use of affected properties to commercial or other compatible uses, except for title holders who have not violated their original grant terms.
Affected property owners will be required to pay 7.5% of the property’s capital value as Land Use Conversion fees; Statutory Right of Occupancy bills for the new land use; and, 2% extension/merger/subdivision fees where applicable.
Property owners who fail to comply within 60 days risk enforcement actions, including sealing, demolition, or outright revocation of titles.
The committee further recommended revoking titles of affected properties to pave way for new documents reflecting the updated land use and plot sizes. Fresh titles will carry a 99-year lease term, with provisions for duly registered assignees to benefit.
Other recommendations include: Introducing a one-way traffic system on Usuma Street to ease congestion; upgrading electricity and waste management infrastructure in affected areas; and, mandating plot owners in the Central Business District and Phase II Sector Centres to begin development within three months or face revocation.
The report emphasized that stricter monitoring, better enforcement of agreements, and timely interventions are crucial to restoring order in land administration across the FCT.
Leave a Reply