...SAYS LAND GRABBING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN ABUJA
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has reiterated that the FCT Administration will not tolerate any form of land-grabbing activities within the nation’s capital.
Barr. Wike made this known while addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, March 13, 2026, following his visit to the site of demolition of an illegal development within the Diplomatic Zone, Katampe Extension, on a land originally allocated to 10 foreign embassies since 2008. The embassies are: Japan, Thailand, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Syria, Somalia, Serbia and Montenegro, Austria, Senegal, and the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Speaking during the visit, Barr. Wike revealed that the land in question had been officially designated, since 2008, for the residential use of the embassies, but regretted that a developer had illegally encroached on the land without approval from the authorities.
Accordi to him, “This land here was given to various embassies, and it was allocated since 2008. Of course, our people will always believe that nothing will happen, somebody just came here, took the land, and started developing it on his own without approval from the FCTA. The Development Control Department had to come in to make sure that we can’t allow this. This land grabbing must stop”.
Barr. Wike emphasized that the FCT Administration would not be deterred by the level of investment already made by the illegal developer and expressed his resolve to protect the integrity of land administration in the FCT, particularly concerning plots reserved for diplomatic missions.
He further disclosed that the Administration is pursuing criminal charges against the developer to serve as a deterrent to others and confirmed that, one Alhaji Kabiru Sahara, responsible for the Katampe encroachment, has been apprehended by the law enforcement and would soon be charged to court.
“This is land allocated to foreign embassies for them to have their residential areas, and it will be very unfortunate for us to fold our arms and say, okay, the place is already developed. No, we won’t allow that. So, we have taken swift action. I’ve told them to bring down every building standing on this land, and we are writing to the embassies that we have taken over the land”, Barr. Wike stated.
Beyond enforcement activities, Barr. Wike also conducted an extensive tour of several high-priority infrastructure projects in the city centre and sub-urban areas, including vital link roads, institutional developments, and urban beautification projects. He disclosed that most of these projects are on track for handover by May 2026, ensuring they are ready for inauguration during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's third year in office celebrations.
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