By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate all allocations of land in the name of the Minister of Federa Capital Territory Abuja, given from January May 2023 to August 2023.
The House also directed that all such lands which are subject to litigation or multiple allocations, should be identified and their allocation withdrawn by the Minister pending the resolution of the matter.
This was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance by Rep. Gaza Gbefwi, Member Representing Karu/Keffi/Kokona Federal Constituency of Nasarawa State “The Need TO INVESTIGATE THE ALLEGED FRAUDULENT ALLOCATION OF TITLE DOCUMENT TO SOME REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT OF THE MINISTER OF FCT, ABUJA” on Thursday at plenary.
Rep. Gbefwi noted that by virtue of Section 297 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the ownership of all lands in the FCT, is vested in the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The motion reads: “That Section 302 of the Constitution provides inter alia, that the President may, in the exercise of the powers conferred upon him by Section 147 of the Constitution, appoint for the FCT, Abuja, a Minister who shall exercise powers and perform such functions as may be elegated to him by the President, from time to time: Aware that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sworn on Monday 29th May 2023, marking the start of the Four-year term as President and Kashim Shettima as Vice President:
“Aware also that the current Minister of FCT, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike. CON, assumed office as the FCT Minister on the 21 August 2023:
“Observed that in the period 29th May 2023-21st August 2023, several title documents on land in the FCT were issued to some real estate developers in a highly suspicious manner:
“Wonder if the Director of Lands or any official of the FCDA who issued Right of Ownership, purportedly in the name of the Minister of FCT at the period when the office of the Minister was vacant, have the legal right or authority to do so:
“Concerned that some of the lands affected were subject to litigations which were yet to be resolved.
“Disturbed that some of the beneficiaries of these alleged fraudulent allocations are already using them to forcibly grab disputed land which is a recipe for conflicts.
“Convinced that if the title document of any land is fraudulently issued or procured, whatever is built on it should not stand in the interest of the public”.
The House unanimously adopted the motion and mandate the committee on FCT to investigate and report back within 4 weeks for further legislative actions.
