Following announcement that it would, from May 26, commence the physical takeover of 4,794 properties whose land ownership had been revoked, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Monday sealed an Access Bank branch and a Total petrol station located in Zone 6, Wuse, Abuja, over non-payment of ground rent spanning 34 years.
The property occupied by Access Bank is officially allocated to Rana Tahir Furniture Nigeria Limited, not the bank directly, according to official documents.
Official documents show that the property occupied by Access Bank is officially allocated to Rana Tahir Furniture Nigeria Limited, not Access Bank directly.
Persecondnews had reported that a letter dated March 13, 2025, signed by the Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, stated: “The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, in exercise of the powers conferred on him under the Land Use Act No. 6 of 1978, Cap. L5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, has revoked your rights, interests, and privileges over Plot No. 2456 within Wuse I, Cadastral Zone A02, Abuja.
“The revocation is in view of your continued contravention of the terms and conditions of grant of the Right of Occupancy by failing to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for Thirty-Four (34) years.”
The FCTA also shut down the Federal Inland Revenue Service(FIRS) office in Abuja for similar violations.
The shutdowns are part of a larger initiative to enforce compliance among property owners in default across the FCT.
According to officials, several notices and publications have been issued since 2023, warning all allottees to clear their outstanding ground rent obligations.
Prior to the shutdown, the FCTA indicated at a joint press briefing on May 23, held by the FCT Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media, Mr Lere Olayinka, alongside Nwankwoeze, and the Director of Development Control, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, that: “Ownership of the revoked 4,794 properties in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape districts had already reverted to the FCTA.
“And as from Monday, next week, the government will begin to exercise its rights of ownership on the affected landed properties.
“As usual, this will be done without consideration as to ownership of the affected landed properties. It will be purely in line with extant laws and regulations guiding the process.”
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