The Federal Capital Territory Administration has threatened to revoke the Certificates of Occupancy of the plots of land owned by prominent individuals and corporate organisations in Abuja.
In a notice on Friday, the FCTA stated that the notice affects landowners in the Maitama district of Abuja, who have two weeks to settle outstanding payments for their C of O or risk losing their property rights.
The administration cited infrastructural development within the district as the reason for the notice.
The two-week 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 issued to 3,273 allottees.
The notice reads, “The Federal Capital Territory Administration, through the Federal Capital Development Authority, is carrying out infrastructural development in Maitama II (A10) District.
“All allottees who have not paid their bills for the Certificate of Occupancy are hereby advised to settle their bills in full within two (2) weeks from the date of this publication.
“All affected allottees are informed that failure to pay all outstanding land bills, rents, fees, and charges within the stipulated grace period will result in the withdrawal of the offers of Rights of Occupancy (R-of-O) over the said plots of land by the honourable minister of the FCT, and reallocation of the lands.”
Some of the landowners affected include Yusuf Buhari and Zahra Buhari, children of former President Muhammadu Buhari; Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; and former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege.
The Minister of Sports, John Eno; Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari; and former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Nigige, were also on the list.
Former governors on the list include Theodore Orji, Rochas Okorocha, Ibikunle Amosun, Tanko Al-Makura, Joshua Dariye, Gabriel Suswam, Ibrahim Shekarau, Okezie Ikpeazu, Jonah Jang, Seriake Dickson, Adamu Muazu, and Bukar Abba Ibrahim.
Serving and former lawmakers on the list are 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, and the House Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, Wole Oke and Kabiru Gaya.
Others are Beni Lar, Leo Ogor, Darlington Nwokocha, Petet 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 list includes former National Chairman of the APC, Adamu Abdullahi, and third Republic Senate President, Ameh Ebute.