Wike Revokes 4,794 Land Titles Over Non-Payment Of Ground Rent For 10 Years

Wike revokes 4,794 land titles over non-payment of ground rent for 10 years. Mr Olayinka said that a total of 8,375 property owners owed a total of N6.97 billion as ground rent.

The minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has approved revocation of 4,794 land titles over non-payment of ground rent for more than 10 years.

Lere Olayinka, senior special assistant on public communications and social media, to the minister announced the revocation at a news conference in Abuja on Monday.

Mr Olayinka said that a total of 8,375 property owners owed a total of N6.97 billion as ground rent as at the end of 2024.

He added that the 8,375 property owners mainly in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama and Guzape have not paid ground rent in the last 43 years.

“This is in contravention of the terms and conditions of grant of the Rights of Occupancy, in line with the provisions of Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.

“It is important to state that payment of ground rent on landed property in the FCT is founded on extant legislation.

“It is clearly stipulated in the terms and conditions of grant of Right of Occupancy, and it is due for payment on the first day of January, each year, without demand,” he said.

Mr Olayinka recalled that the FCTA made numerous publications in national newspapers and announcements on broadcast media since 2023, calling on defaulters to pay up all outstanding bills and ground rents.

He said that the publications yielded little response, as several allottees failed to pay.

“Consequently, the titles of the properties in default of payment of ground rent for 10 years and above have been revoked forthwith,” he said.

He added that a 21-day grace has been given to title holders, who defaulted in payment of ground rent for between one and 10 years, after which the affected titles would be revoked.

Also, the FCTA director land, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, explained that the land titles owners who defaulted in payment, were from the 10 oldest districts in Phase 1 of the Federal Capital City.

Mr Nwankwoeze said that the FCTA would be sending revocation notices to the affected allottees in phase one districts from Cadastral Zone A01 to A09, affecting private companies, individuals, including government organisations.

He added that revocation was being done in phases and in categories, adding that phase Ii, would be next in line, after the revocation of phase 1 was completed.

He said that phase II comprised Gudu District, Durumi, Wuye, Katampe, Jabi, Mabushi, Utako, and Daki Biyu among others.

Wike Revokes 4,794 Land Titles

The director further said that with the revocation, the properties built on the lands would become FCTA properties, adding that the FCT minister would decide what to do with them.

“Once a title is revoked, the property reverts to the FCTA, so, effectively, all the 4,794 properties have reverted to the FCTA,” he said.

EFCC Arraigns 2 Chinese Nationals, Nigerian For Cyber Crimee In Lagos

EFCC arraigns 2 Chinese nationals, Nigerian for cyber crimee in Lagos. EFCC alleged that they engaged in this foreign exchange without going through the official foreign exchange market authorised by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) on Monday dragged a Nigerian, two Chinese nationals, and their company before the Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged multibillion-naira cybercrime.

The defendants Huang Haoyu, Friday Audu, An Hongxu and a company, Gentting International Ltd., are standing trial before Justice Daniel Osiagor on a 12-count charge of cybercrime.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor, Bilikisu Buhari, told the court that the defendants committed the offences sometime in 2024 in Lagos.

Ms Buhari said the defendants allegedly conspired among themselves to commit the offences with one Dualiang Pan, who is now at large.

She said the defendants allegedly willfully caused to be assessed computer systems organised to destabilise Nigeria’s economic structure.

Ms Buhari also said the defendants allegedly procured Nigerian youths to falsely represent themselves as persons of foreign nationalities.

They were alleged to have procured one Chukwuemeka Okeke to retain $1.2 million in his crypto wallet, which they ought to know forms part of fraudulent activities.

They were alleged to have also procured one Alhassan Garba and Ifesinaci Jacobs to retain $1.3 million in their crypto wallet, being proceeds of crime.

They were also alleged to have retained in the Union Bank account of Gentting International Ltd the sum of N3.4 billion, which also forms part of the proceeds of their fraudulent activities.

The prosecutor alleged that they transferred, among others, N106 million and N913 million to Mr Dualiang’s UBA account, which also forms the proceeds of their fraudulent activities.

The transfer and several other transfers were said to be made from Gentting Ltd.
Besides, the defendants were said to have illegally negotiated a foreign exchange transaction with one Alhassan Garba to the dollar equivalent of N1.1 billion, N962 million, and other sums.

EFCC alleged that they engaged in this foreign exchange without going through the official foreign exchange market authorised by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Court

All monies are said to have formed part of the proceeds of their fraudulent activities.
She said the offences contravened section 29(2) of the Foreign Exchange Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 2004.

It also contravenes sections 18 and 27 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition) Act 2015, as well as sections 18(2)(d) and 21(c) of the Money Laundering Act 2021.

The court adjourned the case until March 20 to hear the defendants’ bail application.

The judge ordered the defendants to be remanded in EFCC’s custody pending bail.

EFCC Arrests TikTok Influencer, Murja Kunya for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Kano

EFCC arrests TikTok influencer, Murja Kunya for alleged Naira Mutilation in Kano. Operatives of the Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , EFCC, have arrested popular TikTok influencer, Murja Ibrahim Kunya, for allegedly abusing and mutilating the Naira.

Specifically, Kunya was arrested for allegedly spraying Naira notes for fun during her stay in a hotel room at Tahir Guest Palace in Kano.

The arrest followed her diligent pursuit by EFCC operatives after she jumped an administrative bail granted her by the Commission over one month ago.

She was initially arrested in January 2025 for violating the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, Act which prohibits the abuse and mutilation of the Naira.

She was granted an administrative bail by the Commission pending her arraignment before the Federal High Court in Kano.

However, when it was time for her court appearance, Kunya absconded, evading the legal processes.

However, after weeks of intensive investigation and surveillance, EFCC operatives successfully re-arrested the TikTok Influencer on Sunday March 16, 2025.

Murja Kunya

She was subsequently conveyed to the Kano Zonal Directorate of the Commission, where she is currently in custody awaiting her arraignment.

The EFCC reiterates its commitment to enforcing laws protecting the integrity of the Nigerian currency and warned against acts of abuse including spraying, stamping, or mutilating the currency during social events.