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Lere Olayinka, the media aide to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has challenged those accusing the minister of land grabbing to come up with proof.
Lere gave the challenge in a statement on Wednesday while reacting to a viral video about land located in the Life Camp area of the territory, of which some persons claimed ownership.
The FCT Minister’s spokesperson in the statement challenged those saying the land legally belongs to them to provide a certificate of occupancy granted by the FCTA.
According to him, those using social media to circulate falsehoods about their lands being grabbed by the Minister and the FCTA should provide genuine evidence that they owned such land.
Lere, who also cautioned self-appointed social media activists to be mindful of being used to promote false claims, said: “The most reasonable thing for anyone to do is to find out from both sides before going public with any issue.”
He explained that a construction company, Paulosa Nigeria Limited, occupied the said land as a temporary office under a temporary right of occupancy arrangement granted in 1984.
Wike’s aide stated that the company then occupied the land and built “permanent structures on it and rented them out without any approval from the government.”
He said:
“On November 18, 2020, after occupying the land for 36 years without approval, Paulosa Nigeria Limited applied to the then Minister of the Federal Capital Territory for the conversion of the temporary right of occupation to a statutory right of occupation.
“On February 1, 2023, approval was granted to Paulosa Nigeria Limited for a statutory right of occupancy, subject to certain terms and conditions.
“Some of the terms and conditions are payment of ground rent per square meter per annum, which was N50K/m² from 2022 to 2023, amounting to N2,332,143; payment of premium of N500/m², amounting to N11,660,715; and payment of ground rent from 1984 to 2021 (37 years), amounting to N43,144,645.
“However, for 20 months, Paulosa Nigeria Limited refused to comply with the terms and conditions for the approval.
“Consequent upon the failure of Paulosa Nigeria Limited to comply with the terms and conditions for approval granted for a right of occupancy on the said land, the approval was revoked on October 10, 2024, more than 20 months after it was given.”
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