The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has issued an ultimatum to beneficiaries of monetized federal government properties in Abuja.
They are required to revert to their original land use by the end of October, or they risk having their properties revoked by November 1.
This announcement was made by Mukhtar Galadima, the Director of the Department of Development Control in the Administration, during a news conference in Abuja.
He emphasized that the monetization program was initiated by the Federal Government in 2005 due to the high maintenance costs of these properties, and beneficiaries must adhere to the terms of purchase.
Galadima stated, “The minister has approved and directed that all owners of such properties should revert the properties to their original and designated land use, which is residential. Failing to comply with this directive from Nov. 1, the houses are considered as revoked and returned to FCTA.”
The Department of Development Control has recorded over 111 cases of land use conversion for these sold houses, spanning across all districts of the capital city.
Additionally, the minister has ordered owners of properties, especially those along major streets, who have converted their properties without approval, to either revert to the original use or pay contravention charges.
Non-compliance with these directives may result in the administration taking appropriate action, including revocation.
The primary objective of these measures is to maintain the integrity of the Abuja Master Plan.