This was revealed in a statement issued by Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
According to the statement, property owners in Abuja’s Central Area who default on ground rent payments will face a N5 million penalty in addition to the outstanding rent. Those with properties in Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse II, and Guzape Districts will be fined N3 million, while owners in Wuse I, Garki I, and Garki II will pay a penalty of N2 million all in addition to what they owe.
The statement also emphasized that individuals who have bought properties but have not yet registered them with the FCT Department of Land Administration by securing the Minister’s Consent and registering their Deeds of Assignment now have two weeks (14 days) to complete this process.
Minister Wike has also granted a 14-day grace period for all property holders in the FCT to settle their Right of Occupancy (R-of-O) or Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) fees. Failure to comply could lead to revocation of their property titles.
The statement urged property owners to stay current with payments to ensure the government can fund infrastructure and development initiatives.
Enforcement began on Monday against 4,794 properties that had not paid ground rent for periods ranging from 10 to 43 years. These properties include those owned by individuals, corporations, and even government agencies.
Among the affected buildings is Wadata Plaza, the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Other sealed properties include offices occupied by a commercial bank, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Wuse Zone 5.
In response, the PDP condemned the sealing of its headquarters, labeling the action as irresponsible. Following a party caucus meeting on Monday, Acting PDP Chairman Umar Damagum announced that the party plans to contest the decision.
