The Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to the FCT Minister on Public Communication and Social Media, Olarere Olayinka, has asked those alleging land grabbing by the FCT Administration, to show evidence of land ownership.
The PUNCH earlier reported that a construction company, Paullosa Nigeria Limited, raised the alarm over a demolition notice issued by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to the management, to demolish its estate in Lifecamp Abuja, after meeting some of its demands.
The General Manager of the Estate, Mr Vincent Enoghase, who spoke to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, claimed the FCDA had demanded N10 million, for a Right of Occupancy, which it had paid but was yet to get receive before the issuance of the quit notice.
In a viral video on Wednesday, controversial social media critic, Vincent Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, alleged that the FCT Minister, had revoked the land titles to the Estate, and issued the same to a Saravera Nigeria Limited, and the Minority Leader and member of the House of Representatives representing Obio/Akpor Constituency, Kingsley Chinda.
“I have the R-of-O and the C-of-O to the people he has allocated it. He allocated it to Saravera Nigeria Limited, which we contacted them, they are not in existence. This same Saravera are allegedly the people that are managing Wike’s hotel in Port Harcourt. Now, the other person that has a big share in the whole of this thing is the head and the Leader of the Minority in the House of Reps, in the name of Kingsley Chinda”, he said.
VeryDarkMan went on to call on security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force, to intervene, noting that the original owner of the land was the first cadet of the Nigerian Army who passed on only four years ago.
In response, the SSA to the minister, in a statement on Wednesday, urged “self-appointed social media activists” to verify claims from both sides before going public with the issue.
Olayinka explained that the construction company had occupied the land located at Plot No 2241, Gwarimpa District, Cadastral Zone C02, Abuja, with a temporary R-of-O granted 40 years ago in 1984. He added that while the company applied for conversion to a statutory Right of Occupancy, it had failed to comply with certain conditions for the issuance, for the past 20 months.
“A construction company, Paulosa Nigeria Limited, occupied the land as a temporary office under a Temporary Right of Occupancy arrangement granted in 1984 (40 years ago). For 36 years, the company occupied the land, built permanent structures on it, and rented them out without any approval from the government.
“On 18 November 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 Occupancy to a Statutory Right of Occupancy.
“On 1 February 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 10 October 2024, more than 20 months after it was given. From the above, it should be clear that Paulosa Nigeria Limited never at any time, owned the land”, the statement read.
The SSA reiterated the call for critics to verify information from the administration, to avoid being used as a tool to mislead the public
“My advice to our social media emergency human rights advocates is that they should always endeavour to investigate claims by whoever is seeking their service. For instance, if the person who took his time to do that video had taken a simple step of investigating further, he would have been well informed, such that he won’t be used to mislead the public”.
