The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has sealed several properties in Abuja, including the Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS), national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), an Access Bank branch and a Total Energies filling station over non-payment of ground rent.
Wike, who approved the closure, said that the move was to ensure property owners adhere strictly to regulations guiding the ownership of buildings within the country’s seat of power.
The closure was confirmed on Monday by the media aide to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka, through a short statement released on his official social media handle.
Olayinka revealed that enforcement teams from the administration moved in to carry out the shutdown as part of a wider crackdown aimed at boosting compliance with financial obligations to the FCT government.
Earlier, Wike had emphasized that the enforcement action is a legal measure to recover over ₦6.9 billion owed in ground rents, affecting both public and private entities.
The FCTA has stated that it will proceed with taking possession of the affected properties, restricting access, and determining future actions in accordance with existing laws and regulations.
This development has sparked discussions and concerns among political circles and property owners in Abuja, with some viewing the move as a strict enforcement of property laws, while others perceive potential political undertones.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) sealed the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) office located in Zone 5, Abuja, over failure to pay ground rent for 25 years.
Meanwhile, the building housing the Access Bank outlet at Wuse Market was shut down due to a backlog of unpaid ground rent spanning 34 years.
Similarly, the Total Energies petrol station in the same area was sealed off following the company’s alleged failure to settle its outstanding statutory levies owed to the FCTA for over 15 years.
After sealing these, the FCT officials proceeded to the national secretariat of the PDP following the inability of the opposition party to pay requisite fees regarding ground rents for over 25 years in the country’s seat of power.
It would be recalled that The Guild had initially reported on Friday, May 23, 2025 that the FCTA will commence the sealing of landed properties on Monday , May 26 across Abuja over non payment of ground rent for 10 to 45 years.
