The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has issued a strict warning to 3,273 prominent Nigerians and corporate organizations, threatening to revoke their Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O) for plots of land in the Maitama District of Abuja. This ultimatum has been given due to outstanding payments, which must be settled within two weeks.
In a notice addressed to the allottees of the plots, the FCTA emphasized the urgency of the matter and the necessity for compliance to avoid penalties.
The notice, titled “Demand Notice for Payment of Right of Occupancy Bills for Issuance of Certificates of Occupancy on All Lands Allocated at Maitama II District, Cadastral Zone A10, Abuja,” was obtained by Premium Times on Friday.
The announcement has caused significant concern among the affected landowners, many of whom are high-profile individuals and well-known corporations.
Some of the prominent individuals listed as owners of the plots include Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President; Abbas Tajudeen, Speaker of the House of Representatives; George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior; Bukola Saraki, former Senate President; Yakubu Dogara, former Speaker of the House of Representatives; Ovie Omo-Agege, former Deputy Senate President, and several former governors.
Others affected include former Governors Theodore Orji (Abia), Rochas Okorocha (Abia), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Joshua Dariye (Plateau), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Jonah Jang (Plateau), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Adamu Muazu (Bauchi), and Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe).
Additionally, listed individuals include John Eno, Minister of Sports; Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security; Chris Nwabueze Ngige, former Minister of Labour and Employment; and other serving and former lawmakers such as Dino Melaye, Kabiru Marafa, Stella Oduah, Danjuma Goje, Ben Bruce, David Umaru, Saliu Mustapha, Biodun Olujimi, Andy Uba, Sunday Karimi, Olumide Osoba, Nicholas Ossai, Emmanuel Bwacha, Osita Izunaso, Julius Ihonvbere, Wole Oke, Kabiru Gaya, Beni Lar, Leo Ogor, Darlington Nwokocha, Peter Nwaoboshi, Oker Jev, Lynda Ikpeazu, Khadijat Ibrahim, Obinna Chidoka, Philip Aduda, Smart Adeyemi, Chukwuka Utazi, Timothy Golu, Edward Pwajok, Ali Ndume, Ben Obi, Binta Garba, and Teslim Folarin.
The notice also includes Adamu Abdullahi, a former National Chairman of the ruling APC; Ameh Ebute, Senate President of the Third Republic; and Yusuf and Zahra Buhari, both children of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the FCTA, the notice was issued because infrastructural development is being carried out in the district by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
The FCTA urged all allottees who have not yet paid their bills for the Certificates of Occupancy to settle their debts in full within two weeks from the date of the publication.
The notice further stated that failure to pay all outstanding land bills, rents, fees, and charges within the grace period would result in the withdrawal of Rights of Occupancy (R-of-O) over the plots by the Minister of the FCT, and the lands would be reallocated.