By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
In a sweeping enforcement drive aimed at reclaiming over 4,700 revoked properties, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Monday sealed off key commercial premises in Abuja, including buildings occupied by Access Bank, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Ibro Hotel, and Total Energy.
The action marks a major step in the FCTA’s renewed push to recover long-standing debts from property owners who have failed to pay statutory ground rents—some dating back more than three decades.
Leading the operation in the Wuse district, Director of Development Control, Tpl. Mukhtar Galadima, said the enforcement is part of a broader effort to “walk the talk” on land administration reforms.
“We made it clear that defaulters would face serious consequences. This is not a witch-hunt—it’s about enforcing compliance and reclaiming what belongs to the government,” Galadima told journalists while overseeing the sealing of Plot 534, Cadastral Zone A02, Wuse Zone 1, which houses a Total PLC facility with more than 10 years of unpaid rent.
A nearby branch of Access Bank was also sealed. Although currently in use by the bank, the property is owned by Rana Taher Furniture Nigeria Limited, whose failure to pay ground rent for 34 years led to the title’s revocation.
Director of Land Administration, Mr. Chijioke Nwankwoeze, explained that even prominent institutions are not exempt from compliance. “This is not about who occupies the building but who holds the land title. In the case of Access Bank, the owner failed to pay for over three decades, so the title has reverted to the FCTA,” he said.
Similarly, the FIRS building in Wuse Zone 5 was sealed off for 25 years of unpaid ground rent. Nwankwoeze emphasized that the repossession exercise is only just beginning.
“We are working with legal backing. These titles are revoked, and government now owns the land. Occupants must vacate or regularize through proper channels,” he added.
The FCTA, under the leadership of Minister Nyesom Wike, has repeatedly warned that it will no longer tolerate non-compliance with land use obligations, especially as it seeks to boost internal revenue and enforce the rule of law in the territory.
Residents and stakeholders have been urged to review their land documentation and settle outstanding obligations to avoid similar sanctions. The enforcement team is expected to extend the operation to other parts of Abuja, including the Central Business District, in the coming days.