Despite President Bola Tinubu’s intervention temporarily halting the sealing of property belonging to individuals and agencies accused of non-payment of ground rents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, has been accused of shunning the directive and disrupting operations of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Arabinrin Aderonke, the technical assistant on broadcast media to the FIRS Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, accused FCTA officials of causing mayhem at the FIRS headquarters on Tuesday.

Ms Aderonke said despite FIRS not being one of the defaulters, FCTA officials beat up FIRS staff while interrupting activities at the headquarters.

“Despite PBAT’s yesterday order directing FCTA to give 14-day grace to defaulters, although FIRS isn’t a defaulter, FCTA returned to FIRS Hq to cause mayhem,” Ms Aderonke wrote on X. “My colleague, SA Protocol to FIRS Chairman, was beaten by an officer of NSCDC with bruises and blood all over his body.”

Nigerians, who commented on the development on X, described the action as unnecessary and uncalled for.

“I think this needs to be decisively dealt with. To be honest this madness must stop,”@YoungLobzy wrote.

@mamatii001 noted, “This is extreme! The guys need to be called into order by the minister. Too bad.”

Shortly after Mr Wike ordered the sealing of property including the Peoples Democratic Party headquarters in Abuja, Mr Tinubu intervened and granted a 14-day grace period for them to settle their outstanding obligations and regularise their documents.

In a statement by Chijioke Nwankwoeze, Director of Land Administration in the FCT, Mr Wike also advised property owners in the FCT to ensure timely payment of all relevant bills and charges to enable the government to continue implementing vital development projects for the benefit of the people.