The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will not yield to blackmail from political or business elites who have continuously violated the law by refusing to pay ground rents on their properties in Abuja.
Speaking on Wednesday after an inspection of ongoing projects across the FCT, Wike said the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) remains committed to enforcing compliance, regardless of status, influence, or political affiliation.
“Some elites think they are untouchable. But let me say this clearly — we won’t succumb to blackmail. If you owe, you pay,” Wike vowed.
The minister’s tough stance comes days after the FCTA sealed the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as well as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) office in Zone 5, over alleged failure to settle outstanding ground rent debts.
The enforcement operation, which began Monday, is part of an aggressive revenue recovery drive by the FCT Administration. Dozens of other properties were also affected in high-brow districts including Wuse, Maitama, Asokoro, and Garki.
Wike said many of the affected property owners have ignored their obligations for decades.
“How can someone owe for over 30 or 40 years and expect us to look away?” the minister asked. “This is a capital city, not a lawless zone.”
In a sweeping move, the FCTA revoked over 4,700 land titles earlier this month, citing non-payment of ground rents.
According to FCTA figures, 8,375 property owners owe a combined ₦6.97 billion, with some of the debts dating as far back as the 1980s.
The crackdown escalated after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu issued a 14-day ultimatum for all defaulters to clear their debts or risk further sanctions.
READ ALSO: Tinubu Halts FCT Ground Rent Crackdown, Defaulters Get 14-Day Grace or Lose Properties
Wike’s action has drawn criticism from PDP chieftains, who view the sealing of the party’s secretariat as politically motivated — especially since Wike remains a prominent member of the party, albeit with strained relationships within its leadership.
However, the minister dismissed the insinuations, insisting that the law must take its course, regardless of political ties.
“This has nothing to do with politics. The law is clear. Everyone must obey,” Wike said.
Since assuming office, Wike has launched a series of urban renewal and revenue enforcement measures, many of which have unsettled Abuja’s elite class and political institutions.
But the former Rivers State governor has remained defiant, reiterating that “Abuja must work for all Nigerians, not just a privileged few.”
He also warned that further enforcement actions would continue if defaulters do not comply.
“I don’t care who you are — pay what you owe. That’s all,” he said.
As the FCT pushes forward with its debt recovery initiative, property owners have been urged to verify their land status and settle outstanding obligations before the expiration of the presidential deadline.