Reps to probe land allocation in FCT during transition period from Bello to Wike

The house of representatives has resolved to investigate the “fraudulent” allocation of land in the federal capital territory (FCT) during the transition period from Mohammed Bello to Nyesom Wike.

Bello was the FCT minister in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

President Bola Tinubu, who assumed office on May 29, 2023, appointed Wike as the FCT minister, and he was sworn in on August 16.

The house also ruled that all lands issued in the name of the former minister which are “subject to litigation” should be revoked.

The lower legislative chamber passed the resolution during the plenary session on Thursday following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Jonathan Gaza from Nasarawa state.

While moving the motion, Gaza said from May 29 to 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 R of Os 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,” Gaza said.

“Some of the beneficiaries of these alleged fraudulent allocations are already using them to forcibly grab disputed land, which is a recipe for conflict.

“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 motion was adopted when it was put to a voice vote by Ben Kalu, the deputy speaker who presided over the plenary.

After an amendment to the motion, the house ruled that the investigation should cover the period from January to August 2023.

In March, Wike said some officials of the federal capital development authority (FCDA) illegally allocated land to individuals and developers while the FCT minister was yet to be appointed. 

“Every year we have suits not less than 1,000, and all these require a lot of money. As we speak today, we have more than 600 judgments on FCT,” Wike said when he appeared before the house of representatives committee on FCT. 

“Some of them are legal, and some of them are civil servants.

“It’s very embarrassing that the former minister left on May 29. In June, a director of land signed 500 hectares of land to an individual.

“There are certain things we cannot accept. So, whoever is involved, it doesn’t matter who is involved. The director of land cannot act as minister. It cannot work.”