Wike makes promises and threats on his first day as Minister of FCT

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has threatened to demolish the properties of Abuja landlords whose buildings distort the masterplan of the city.

The minister issued the threat while addressing journalists shortly after his inauguration on Monday, August 21, 2023. 

Wike said all houses regardless of their owners' status would go down if they were erected where they were not supposed to be.

He said, “People who are distorting the master plan of Abuja, too bad. Look at refuse everywhere, those you’re paying for refuse collection, what are they doing? So, we must also sit down to look at different ways of waste management, it is very key.

“If you know you have built where you’re not supposed to build, it would go down. Be a minister of anywhere, be an ambassador, if you know you have developed where you are not supposed to develop, your house must go down.” 

While reading the riot acts to landowners in the FCT, the former Governor of Rivers State also threatened that all restaurants built on green areas in the FCT would be demolished.

“Those who have taken over the green areas to build, sorry, our parks must come back, the green area must come back. If you hate green you must hate yourself. 

“So, if you know anybody who is involved that has taken over the green areas, that has taken over the parks to where you turn to restaurants, no we will not accept that. Sorry, if your fathers have done that sorry. If your mothers have done that, sorry, there is nothing I can do, it will go down.” 

The minister also issued a stern warning to land racketeers and those who have refused to develop their landed properties in the hope of selling them at exorbitant prices.

Wike said he would revoke the properties and give them to those who would develop them within a short period of time.

“And all these people who are doing land racketing, I am taking to the staff tomorrow. Let me tell you, that period of land racketing is over. 

“And those that the government has given C of O and they refuse to develop and use it to become land speculators, the land is gone. I will revoke them because I don’t understand why the government will give you land to develop, you will now leave it and start looking for people to buy it for ₦3 billion. Who does that? We will take back our land and give it to those who want to develop.”

Wike, who was sworn in on Monday, alongside 44 other ministers have been urged by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to serve Nigerians with integrity.