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Wike hammers Canada, French, 19 embassies! *Set to lose properties in Abuja
Canadian High Commission is set to lose its properties in Abuja, as Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is set to withdraw the titles of 189 holders, who have obtained Building Plan Approvals but are yet to commence development of on their property.
The affected owners, including 21 embassies, have a three-month grace to redeem the situation, according to Muhammad Hamzat Sule, spokesman of the Ministry in a statement at the weekend, which regretted that the said properties not being put to use as expected and had to be recovered.
Outside the French Embassy and the Canadian High Commission, others under the threat include those of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Embassy of Turkey, Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Angola, Embassy of the Republic Korea, Embassy of Philippines and Tanzania High Commission.
Embassies of Syrian Republic, Iran, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Thailand, Algeria, Trinidad and Tobago, Cote D’Ivoire, Argentina, Togo, Indonesia and several government agencies including those of the FCT Administration are also affected.
Others institutions affected are the Abuja National Mosque Council, Abuja National Mosque Management Committee, Daily Times of Nigeria, Elf Petroleum, Access Bank, Federal Housing Authority, Adamu Ajuji Waziri, Isa Yuguda, Eyitayo Lambo, Abba Gana, Mohammed Abubakar Rimi, Nigerian Navy, Gamji Construction Limited, Lagos State Liaison Office, Nigeria Customs Service, John Kennedy Opara, Federal Fire Service and a host of others.
Sule, Director of Information, said in the statement: “The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), has graciously approved a grace period of three-month from the date of this publication for the . . . titleholders who have obtained building plan approvals to commence development of their plots; failure of which their titles shall be revoked for continued contravention of the terms of development of the Right- of –Occupancy. Accordingly, the affected property owners are to do so within the stipulated period or have their title revoked in line with the provisions of the law.”
He said the gesture has only been extended to both individuals and corporate organizations who have shown desire to develop their property by obtaining Building Plan approvals but are yet to start proper development on their property situated within the Federal Capital City FCC.
“Similarly, public institutions that have land titles within the Federal Capital City but are yet to develop same, have also been given a grace period of three months to commence development in order to avoid sanction.
“Thus, the Minister has extended this gesture to 189 property owners due to their desire to develop the property by obtaining Building Plan Approvals which is a prerequisite for development of any property in the Federal Capital Territory.
“The owners of these plots were exempted from revocation because they have already demonstrated firm commitment towards developing their property by obtaining necessary documents from the FCT Administration,” Sule added.
Urging the affected property owners to take advantage of the Minister’s gesture and develop their plots as published in some National Dailies, in line with the terms of Offer of the Right-Of-Occupancy, he said: “The FCT Administration, therefore, appealed to the affected Public Institutions who have been allocated plots within the FCC to commence development of their plots, failure of which their titles shall be revoked for continued contravention of the terms of development of the Right of Occupancy.
“The plots in these categories belong to individuals and corporate organizations, as well as Public Institutions who have continually failed to keep to the terms of agreement as contained in Section 28(5) (a) & (b) of the Land Use Act offering and conveying of the Right of Occupancy,” the statement said.
Wike also revoked 21 plots of land in Abuja’s Central Business District (CBD), according to a notice signed by the Permanent Secretary in the FCT Administration, Olusade Adesola, who said the minister took the decision, “in the exercise of the powers conferred on him under Section 28(5)(a) & (b) of the Land Use Act 1978”.
He stated that the measures were taken because some of the allottees affected by the revocation, which included Lowe Lintas, Tourist Company of Nigeria, Coscharis Motors, CFA Motors, Chidol Properties among others for continued contravention of the terms of development of the Right of Occupancy to wit non-development.”
In a quick riposte on Saturday, Dave Umahi, Minister of Works, has cautioned Nigerians to be circumspect in the manner they react to the story of the death of a female student in his home in Ebonyi State, warning against the temptation of jumping to conclusion.
Conveying his position on the highly-volatile matter through Francis Nwaze, his spokesman, Umahi, former Governor of Ebonyi State and a key figure in the government of President Bola Tinubu, said caution was needed to enable the police conduct unfettered investigation into the matter.
It was his response to breaking of how one Mary Habila, a female physiotherapist reportedly died in his palatial home at Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, on June 27, hours after arriving the day before.
Nwaze, a Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, specifically cautioned against speculations by “tale bearers,” while conveying the Minister’s shock over the matter and his eagerness for the authorities to get at the root of the matter through forensic investigations.
He wrote in the statement: “The attention of the Media Office of the Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Nweze Umahi, has been drawn to a publication by a publication concerning the unfortunate passing of Miss Mary Habila in Uburu, Ebonyi State, alleging that the circumstances surrounding her death were shrouded in secrecy.
“The Honourable Minister received the news with profound shock and sadness and has since extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. For the avoidance of doubt, immediately the unfortunate incident occurred, appropriate emergency steps were taken. Medical personnel, including the Chief Medical Director of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, were contacted without delay, while the Nigeria Police was promptly notified in accordance with the law.
“Following confirmation of Miss Habila’s passing, the Honourable Minister personally received her parents, conveyed his sincere condolences, and advised that an autopsy be conducted to scientifically establish the exact cause of death. At the time, however, the family declined the recommendation.
“It is important to clarify that Miss Mary Habila and Miss Anita Baski are employees of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, who had been on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works as physiotherapists for the past three years until the unfortunate passing of Miss Habila.
“Following the recent developments and in the interest of ensuring that the truth is established beyond doubt, the Honourable Minister has again reiterated his position that an autopsy must be conducted. He remains convinced that this is the most credible and responsible path to resolving all questions surrounding the unfortunate incident.
“We therefore urge the public to exercise restraint, refrain from speculation or premature conclusions, and allow the relevant authorities to carry out their responsibilities without interference. At this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers remain with the family of the deceased, and we pray that God grants them the strength to bear this irreparable loss.”
The circumstances that led to the sudden death of Mary Habbila, a Nigerian female student died in the Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, home of Dave Umahi, Minister of Works, has now thrown the entire household and environs into serious quandary.
SaharaReporters, which first broke the revealed that the incident, which happened since June 27 this year, has been shrouded in secrecy, with both the Ebonyi State Government and the state police command maintaining silence over the matter.
The incident, the report, added, took place barely a day after Habbila and another woman, Anita Baski, both from Kaduna State, were reportedly brought to the minister’s residence, triggering a police investigation, with the case transferred from the Ohaozara Divisional Police Headquarters to the Ebonyi State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Abakaliki.
Habbila and Baski reportedly arrived at the minister’s residence on June 26 to “attend” to him, only for Habbila to be found dead inside the residence the following morning under circumstances investigators are still trying to establish.
Police sources were quoted by the paper as saying that Jonathan Bawado, a police officer who serves as Senator Umahi’s Personal Assistant and previously worked as his Aide-de-Camp (ADC) during his tenure as Governor of Ebonyi State, alerted medical personnel after Habbila was discovered unresponsive.
Subsequently, a doctor and an ambulance were dispatched to the residence, while Tobechukwu Godwin, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ohaozara Police Division, was notified of the incident, the report said, adding that at the hospital Chihurumnanya Alo, a Professor and Consultant Public Health Physician, Infectious Diseases Specialist and Chief Medical Director of the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH), Uburu, was also alerted about the incident.
The police who subsequently conveyed Habbila’s body to a mortuary, were said to have handed over the identification tag attached to Habbila’s to the Ebonyi State Police Command by the said DPO, as part of the ongoing investigation.
SaharaReporters, quoted a senior police officer, with knowledge of the case as saying: “The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Abakaliki,” but, however declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
Unlike in other cases, security operatives in Nigeria have upped the ante by adding the arrest of perpetrators to the menu of rescue operations, with the announcement of the capture of eight terrorists who participated in the abduction of school teachers and students in Oyo State on May 15.
All the 46 pupils, students and teachers abducted by terrorists from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, regained their freedom on Friday, after about 56 days in captivity, with several others reportedly also neutralised during the operation.
Giving a clue of what transpired during the operation, Bayo Onanuga, who broke the story of the feat, said it was the outcome of sustained security operations, which also foiled the attempt by the abductors to secure the release of one of their captured leaders.
Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, using his X handle to give details about the operation, said: “Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies. In the course of the rescue operation, eight of the kidnappers were arrested and are now in DSS custody, while some of them were neutralised.”
“There was no quid pro quo in the rescue as one of the terrorists, a kingpin, that the kidnappers demanded his release, is being prosecuted for his atrocities. The security agencies will give full account soon.”
The victims were abducted on May 15 when heavily armed bandits attacked Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, seizing dozens of pupils, students and teachers.
The abduction sparked nationwide outrage, with parents, labour unions, traditional rulers and civil society groups mounting sustained pressure on the authorities to secure the victims’ release.
The incident also triggered an indefinite strike by the Nigeria Union of Teachers in Oyo State over growing insecurity in schools.
President Bola Tinubu had condemned the attack and ordered security agencies to intensify intelligence-led operations to rescue the captives and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The President subsequently dispatched a high-powered Federal Government delegation to the affected communities, approved the deployment of specialised rescue assets and authorised the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to strengthen security across Oyo State.
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