Fresh revelations have surfaced regarding the dramatic confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and military officers in Abuja on Tuesday, following allegations that the minister revoked and reallocated 30 hectares of land originally owned by top military personnel to his political associates.
According to an exclusive SaharaReporters investigation, the disputed land, located in the Gudu-Gaduwa district of Abuja, was initially allocated to serving and retired military officers. However, sources familiar with the matter allege that Minister Wike revoked the ownership and reissued new Rights of Occupancy (RofO) to several private individuals, including a top political ally alleged to be the current Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Sam Amupitan.
A lawyer directly involved in the case described the revocation as “a total disregard for due process, official recommendations, and existing approvals.”
“Wike revoked the land which totals 30 hectares and allocated it to some persons, one of whom we were told in confidence is the current INEC Chairman,” the source told SaharaReporters. “Unfortunately for Wike, a former naval chief, Awwal Gambo, and some serving army personnel have vested interests in the land and have partly developed same.”
Documents cited in the report reveal that the land — officially listed as Green Area Plot 1946, CZ B13, Gaduwa — had originally been designated for park and recreation purposes. A 2022 letter from the FCTA’s Department of Parks and Recreation confirmed that several organizations, including Santos Estates Ltd, Curio Ventures, and Decency Hotels Ltd, were allotted portions of the area under an approved recreational development scheme.
However, the lawyer alleged that after Wike assumed office, he altered the land use designation from recreational to multi-purpose, effectively paving the way for reallocation to private beneficiaries.
“Approval was sought since 2014 but was ignored, even where there were memos recommending approval,” the lawyer said. “Wike ignored the memos, changed the land use from park/recreation to multi-purpose, and issued fresh RofO to some powerful private persons.”
The dispute reportedly escalated when the minister, accompanied by about 50 armed police officers and two bulldozers, attempted to access and demolish structures already developed by military beneficiaries.
A viral video of the encounter showed a visibly angry Wike in a heated exchange with an army officer later identified as Capt. Adam Yerima, who stood his ground and refused to allow the minister’s team to proceed.
“I was with him when we got information that Wike had gone to the site with police officers and bulldozers,” the lawyer recounted. “The Army has since challenged him to go to court, but he has refused to do so, apparently because he knows he’s wrong.”
The FCT Administration has not yet issued an official statement on the allegations as of press time.
The confrontation has since sparked national outrage and revived debate over land administration practices, abuse of ministerial powers, and the ongoing tension between civil authorities and the military within the nation’s capital.
