Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Ireti Kingibe, has rebuked the FCTA under the leadership of Minister Nyesom Wike for sealing property of various government agencies and families over non-payment of ground rent.
She noted that the evictions and shutdowns were a breach of existing land laws.
Ms Kingibe said the law’s position on such matters, particularly the Lands Use Act of 1975, didn’t explicitly approve the revocation of lands based on ground rent alone.
In a statement on Thursday, the lawmaker stated that for a land to be revoked, there were non-negotiable protocols to be observed.
She said, “While the government retains the constitutional power to revoke land for overriding public interest, such revocation must strictly follow due legal process as stipulated under the Land Use Act.”
Her statement came amid evictions and shutdowns of government and commercial properties, including the Federal Inland Revenue Service , following the FCTA’s claim that the tax office owed ground rent.
“No Nigerian property can be lawfully seized, revoked, or sealed solely on account of failure to pay ground rent,” Ms Kingibe wrote on Thursday.
Citing Section 42 of the Land Use Act, she explained that penalties for non-payment were limited to fines or surcharges and not land revocation.
“The penalty for such default is, by law, limited to a fine or surcharge, not the compulsory taking over or sealing of the property without recourse to the due process prescribed under Section 42 of the Land Use Act and other relevant provisions,” the FCT lawmaker stated.
Ms Kingibe vowed not to stand idly and watch the FCTA execute revocations that were not backed by the law, warning that such actions could worsen the economic hardship facing many Nigerians.
She said, “I cannot, and will not, stand idly by while residents are subjected to enforcement practices that contravene established laws and compound their suffering,”
She further said that she was “exploring all legislative avenues to ensure that any enforcement actions taken are consistent with the rule of law, fairness, and compassion.”
