Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, has cautioned Nyesom Wike, the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), to adhere to legal norms when collecting ground rents in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
An earlier governor of Rivers State had leaked the identities of nine thousand debtors to the press. Not paying their ground rents will result in the sealing of their properties, he threatened.
Last month, the Wike-led FCTA issued a warning that it would seize almost 5,000 homes that owed ground rents ranging from 10 to 43 years.
Following this, the state started seizing the properties of debtors, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and sealed such premises. In any case, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stepped in, and the defaulters got an extra 14 days of grace.
As the Eid festivities come to a close, the FCTA is anticipated to resume enforcement, however the deadline passed on Friday, June 6, 2025.
The rule of law has to be given the chance to work. Indeed, individuals are owing. My bad. Falana stated on Channels TV that legal action is necessary to recover debts. To the Abuja-based Urban and Regional Planning Tribunal, he sent the FCT Minister.
The lawyer explained that the specific agency in question has ultimate authority over demolition and any efforts to secure properties.
Put simply, individuals who feel wronged by the mention of seizing property are encouraged to seek legal recourse. “We are running a democracy,” he further stated.