Group tackles Wike, decries corruption in FCT land administration, AGIS
A coalition of Concerned FCT Residents, along with 65 civil society organisations, has voiced serious allegations of growing corruption in the Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) land administration system under the leadership of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the FCT. The group, led by Alhaji Husseini Abubakar Agaire, claims that Wike is undoing key reforms implemented to ensure transparency in land management, particularly regarding the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), which was designed to reduce fraud and mismanagement in land transactions.
During a press conference, Agaire condemned Wike’s governance approach, likening it to his controversial tenure as governor of Rivers State. He accused Wike of attempting to “convert the FCT into his personal estate,” just as he allegedly did in Rivers. The coalition asserts that Wike is gradually dismantling the reforms introduced through AGIS, which had successfully curbed corruption in the FCT’s land administration over the past 20 years.
According to Agaire, Wike’s recent actions, including the dismissal of key officials from the FCTA and FCDA and their replacement with individuals loyal to him, suggest an orchestrated move to seize control of the FCT’s land resources. A key example cited by the coalition is the removal of the former Director of Urban and Regional Planning and the subsequent appointment of Chijoke Nwanko Eze, a known associate of Wike, as the new Director of Land in the FCDA. This appointment, they argue, points to a power grab in land administration.
The coalition also raised concerns over the possibility of an ethnic and religious agenda being at play, suggesting that individuals loyal to Wike may replace existing staff at AGIS. Such changes, they warn, could marginalize certain groups within the FCT, leading to further instability in land administration.
Additionally, the group criticized Wike’s focus on what they described as unnecessary infrastructure projects. They questioned his decision to rehabilitate roads in affluent areas like Maitama and Wuse, which they claim are already in good condition, while ignoring critical issues such as the poor state of schools and hospitals in less privileged areas. Agaire questioned why taxpayer funds are being spent on road projects that seem unnecessary when there are far more pressing infrastructure needs across the FCT.
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The group called on the federal government and other stakeholders to intervene before the situation worsens. “The people of the FCT deserve better,” Agaire stressed, adding that there is a need for immediate action to prevent irreversible damage to the land administration system.
In response to these criticisms, Wike recently addressed the issue of land administration, stating that certain agencies within the FCT, including AGIS, were part of the problem. He disclosed this during the inauguration of a task force assigned to resolve land-use issues, including the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) for mass housing and the recovery of land-use contravention fees. Wike highlighted the involvement of various directors, including those from the Department of Development Control, Land Administration, AGIS, and Mass Housing, noting that these officials had contributed to the existing problems and would now be part of the team tasked with resolving them.
Wike emphasized the need for recertification of land that has violated the Land Use Act and imposed penalties to deter further violations. He also expressed concern about the growing trend of residential areas in the FCT being converted into commercial zones, which violates zoning regulations. Wike insisted that severe penalties would be imposed on those who contravened the law, in an effort to both generate revenue and control improper development within the FCT.
The coalition, however, remains skeptical of Wike’s efforts, urging the public to remain vigilant and to demand greater accountability from the FCT administration to curb what they describe as “Wike’s empire-building tactics.” The group has vowed to continue its advocacy against what it sees as growing corruption and mismanagement in the FCT’s land administration system.
Written by Sakinat Musa Abubakar, Editor at Neptune Prime
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