The Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory on Strategic Communications, Lere Olayinka, has clarified that any land whose Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) is revoked by the FCT Administration automatically reverts to the minister, who holds such property in trust for the President.
Olayinka made this known during an interview on Arise News on Monday night, confirming that over 1,000 property titles are currently being revoked across Abuja.
According to him, the revocations follow the failure of affected property owners to settle outstanding ground rent, land use conversion fees, and C of O charges within the 14-day grace period which expired on November 25.
He noted that despite concerns raised in some quarters, compliance with the payment directive has been relatively high. For instance, land use conversion charge compliance alone is now around 50%.
“We issued 4,794 notices in May, and so far, more than 3,900 people have complied. That’s over 80%. So, clearly, people responded,” he said.
Olayinka stated that the Land Use Act leaves no ambiguity about what happens when the terms of a C of O are breached.
“Once a property owner violates the conditions attached to a C of O, the consequences are automatic. The minister has taken back the 1,095 titles in line with Sections 28(5A) and (5B) of the Act. However, government is still applying a human face to avoid punishing minor offences,” he explained.
He further stressed that the FCTA cannot be expected to chase individual defaulters.
“Some people simply chose not to comply for reasons best known to them. Government cannot force anyone. If a teacher sets an exam and 80 out of 100 students pass, you cannot blame the teacher for the others,” he said.
While dismissing claims of widespread collusion in land documentation, Olayinka admitted that isolated cases of internal connivance may exist but insisted they do not influence the administration’s actions.
On penalties, he revealed that defaulters could face fines ranging from ₦2 million to ₦5 million. He added that more than half of the properties requiring conversion have already been captured, with monitoring ongoing in other districts.
Olayinka concluded by assuring that Abuja’s land administration remains predictable, provided property owners follow due process.
“If you get proper allocation, follow the rules, and obtain the necessary building approvals, you won’t have problems. Issues only arise when people cut corners and then blame the government,” he said.
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