FCT Minister, Wike Orders Property Owners to Pay N5m Fine Within 14 Days
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has issued a final 14-day deadline for property owners in Asokoro, Maitama, Garki, and Wuse to pay a N5 million penalty for violating approved land-use regulations. Lere Olayinka, Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, stated on Sunday that the grace period begins Tuesday, November 11, and runs until November 25, 2025. Property owners who fail to comply will face enforcement action from the FCT Administration. “The Minister has granted defaulters a final 14-day window to settle the N5 million violation fee and other applicable charges for illegal land-use conversions,” Olayinka said. The directive follows Wike’s earlier approval on September 3, 2025, which imposed the N5 million fine and a 7.5 percent levy on the assessed capital value of properties converted without FCT approval. The action was based on a report from a ministerial committee that investigated land-use abuses, and the administration had previously published the names of 374 defaulters. The affected properties include Gana and Usuma Streets in Maitama; Yakubu Gowon Crescent in Asokoro; Aminu Kano and Adetokunbo Ademola Crescents in Wuse II; and Ladoke Akintola Boulevard, Gimbiya, and Onitsha Streets in Garki II. Other addresses include Ogbomosho Street, Lafia Close, Yola Street, Abriba Close, Danbatta Street, Ringim Close, and Ilorin Street in Garki I. Owners who regularise their land use within the 14-day period will be issued new Certificates of Occupancy and Statutory Rights of Occupancy reflecting the approved use, along with a renewed 99-year tenure. However, the minister’s consideration does not apply to properties that have been withdrawn or revoked due to non-development, unpaid ground rent, or other violations.