Wike confiscates Abuja lands from Peter Obi, Atiku campaign director Liyel Imoke, others in controversial decree

The minister said the owners’ rights to the lands were revoked because they failed to develop them in contravention of the Land Use Act of 1978.

Kunle Sanni • September 23, 2023

Wike, Liyel Imoke,Peter Obi

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike has confiscated land properties owned by Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate for the 2023 election; former Cross River governor Liyel Imoke, and several others.

Mr Imoke was a campaign director for Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential election.

According to an announcement published on national dailies and signed by Olusade Adesola, the Permanent Secretary of the FCT, 165 plots of lands had their certificates of occupancy revoked, including that of Messrs Obi and Imoke.

The properties are partly located in highbrow districts and sertalite towns across the FCT including Asokoro, Idu, Katampe, Utako, Jabi, Wuye, Wuse II, Gudu, and Maitama.

The notification states that Mr Wike cancelled the owners’ rights to the lands since they were not developed and was in contravention to Section 28(5)(a) & (b) of the Land Use Act 1978.

“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.”

Along with Messrs Obi and Imoke, other well-known Nigerians who were impacted were the late Sam Nda-Isaiah, publisher of the Leadership daily; former Minister of National Planning, Udo Udoma; and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ufot Ekaette.

The 2005 National Conference Chairman and former Supreme Court Justice, Niki Tobi; former Attorney General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi; Chidinma Chidoka, and Paul Nwabiukwu, media assistant to Director General of the WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, were also impacted.

Following his inauguration last month, Mr Wike had issued strong warning to people involved in “land marketing,” adding that the period for that was over.

He also warned that “those who have been given CofO (certificate of occupancy) and failed to develop, and they have become land speculators, the land is gone. I will revoke them.”

Download the full list of revoked properties here.

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