By Atoyebi Nike
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed his commitment to sealing properties of owners who have failed to pay their ground rent.
Wike made the declaration during his monthly media briefing held in Abuja on Monday.
His statement follows President Bola Tinubu’s earlier directive issued on May 26, 2025, which gave a two-week deadline for property owners to settle outstanding ground rent. Despite this, Wike lamented that many have continued to default.
“You know what comes next. The President gave two weeks, but we are now past three months. That’s typical of Nigeria. We just concluded project inaugurations, and soon, we’ll begin sealing those properties. I’m going ahead with it,” Wike stated.
He criticized the non-compliance of some property owners, stressing that without revenue from these payments, critical infrastructure and services like healthcare and education remain underfunded.
“You demand better hospitals and schools, but refuse to pay the taxes needed for them. We respected the President’s grace period. Some paid, others ignored it. Now, the time is up.
“Politics may come into play when we begin enforcement, but I’m not going to be swayed. If you haven’t paid, we’re sealing your property. No amount of noise or media spin will stop us,” he concluded.
