In a fresh enforcement action that underscores a new era of accountability in the Federal Capital Territory, the Minister, Nyesom Wike, has approved the revocation of 1,095 properties in Abuja belonging to a who’s who of Nigeria’s political, business, and institutional elite.
The decision, announced in a statement from the FCTA Department of Land Administration, affects former military chiefs, ex-presidents’ family members, serving senators, prominent banks, and key government agencies, all accused of failing to settle outstanding ground rents and other land charges.
The comprehensive list of defaulters includes, former Chief of Army Staff, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma; former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan; and former Senate President, David Mark. The political class was notably hit, with former governors such as Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Donald Duke (Cross River), and Sule Lamido (Jigawa) all seeing their properties revoked.
The reach of the revocation extends deep into the fabric of Nigerian society. Traditional institutions like the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, and elder statesmen like Professor Bolaji Akinyemi and Tony Anenih are on the list. It also touches the family of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, with his daughter, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, named among the defaulters.
Perhaps more startling is the inclusion of the country’s most critical financial and security institutions. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Nigeria Navy, the Office of the National Security Adviser, and the Nigeria Police Force have all lost land rights for failing to pay debts owed to the same government they serve.
According to the FCTA, this drastic action did not come without ample warning. The administration stated that it had published several notices in national dailies, online platforms, and television stations, urging the defaulters to regularize their payments. A final 14-day grace period was granted, which expired on Tuesday, November 25, 2025. The failure of these 1,095 entities to comply left the government with “no further option,” the statement read.
The defaulters are categorized into two main groups: 835 properties were revoked for non-payment of ground rent, while the remaining 260 were penalized for defaulting on payments for land use conversion or their Certificates of Occupancy.
The FCTA justified its action by citing a contravention of the Land Use Act. The statement specified that the defaulters had violated “the provisions of Section 28, Subsection 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act and also the terms and conditions of the grants of the respective Rights of Occupancy.”
This legal framework empowers the Minister to revocate a right of occupancy for a breach of its terms, which includes the non-payment of rent.
This mass revocation is being widely interpreted as a bold statement by Minister Wike, who has built a reputation for a no-nonsense, results-driven approach to governance. Since his appointment, he has repeatedly emphasised his commitment to sanitizing the nation’s capital and enforcing compliance with its master plan, regardless of the status of those involved.
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