Probe Land Racketeering In FCT, Investor Urges Wike After Workers’ Sack

Chido Okolo, a tourism consultant and alleged victim of land grabbing in Abuja, Sunday, called on the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr Nyesom Wike, to inaugurate an independent panel to probe alleged land racketeering being perpetrated by some sacked and serving workers of the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA.

Okolo, who said his plot allocation for a garden recently got missing in the survey plan of Abuja, said such panel would enable thousands of such victims to make their cases known.

He commended Wike for recently sacking some workers in the FCDA, and called on him ‘to probe them and make those found guilty to pay the price in line with our constitution’.

Okolo alleged that his plot B06 1523c, Mabushi, initially allocated for a garden ‘has now turned from green to residential plots’, adding that the land ‘has even disappeared completely from the survey plan’.

He said, “I have been struggling for justice over this matter in the past 13 years. The police, ICPC, Public Complaints Commission, and Human Rights Radio 101.5fm have all tried to get my land off the powerful grip of these actors. The former CG of Immigration, Rose Uzoma, was the original allottee of B06 1523B, and also possesses B06 1523A which she bought from Lamidi Express before she transferred her ownership to Mr Patrick Idiaghe who then converted his property along with theirs, which is now B06 1523 B and B06 1523A.

“I always believe that what we require in FCT is a purposeful administration. In the past, the ministers lacked the political will to do the needful. That is why they allowed the rot to accumulate. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“I want the FCT minister to probe claims of thousands of people whose lands have been shortchanged by land grabbers who work and also connive with workers of FCDA in snatching lands owned by innocent victims.

“I am presently in court with one Mr Patrick Idiaghe and the former controller general of Immigration over the conversion of my garden B06 1523c, Mabushi, to residential plots using these departments and persons. Worse still, the allocation in question, B06 1523c, Mabushi, belonging to Seaflow International Investment Limited which I represent, is completely missing in the latest survey. Who removed it and in whose interest?

“The director of Parks, Mr Ukpana, showed me the list which runs with a double AA,B,D,E without C. I have tackled this matter of forging documents to convert my garden B061523c Mabushi to residential, with the immediate past director of Urban and Regional Planning, and it was restored.

“But as she retired, these individuals swung into action again, culminating in this current issue of B06 1523c, Mabushi, not among the owners of the totality of the whole B06 1523 strip, rather a manufactured list of double AA, B, D, E without C is now what is a minister’s list.”

Recall that FCT minister Nyesom Wike, recently, sacked some heads of parastatals, agencies and government companies of the FCTA, including CEO/MD, Abuja Property Development Company; coordinator, Satellite Towns Development Department, and coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council.