File Photo: Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lere Olayinka.

The Senior Special Assistant on Strategic Communications to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lere Olayinka, says any land whose Certificate of Occupancy is revoked automatically reverts to the FCT Minister, who holds it in trust for the President.

Olayinka stated this during an interview on Arise News on Monday night, confirming that over 1,000 property titles are being revoked across Abuja after owners failed to settle outstanding statutory charges.

He said the action followed the expiration of a 14-day deadline on November 25 for property owners to pay ground rent, land use conversion fees and Certificate of Occupancy charges.

“We published 4,794 notices in May. As of today, more than 3,900 complied. That is more than 80%. So if you have 80% compliance, then you can say that people complied,” he said.

According to Olayinka, the legal basis for the revocation is clear.

“The minister has taken those 1,095 titles. Section 28, 5A and B of the Land Use Act is very clear. Contravention of any conditions set in the C of O is automatic for the future of that title,” he said. “But the government is putting some level of human face and not punishing minor contraventions.”

Olayinka added that fines for non-compliance range from ₦2m to ₦5m, noting that more than half of those required to complete land use conversion have already been captured.

He dismissed fears of irregularities in land administration, although he admitted some isolated cases may exist.

“Some of these things you see, I can’t rule out connivance inside. But government will not wake up tomorrow and say, this property no longer exists,” he said.

Olayinka stressed that land ownership in Abuja remains straightforward for those who follow due process.

“Property is predictable. If you get proper allocation, follow procedures and submit building plans for approval, you won’t have issues. The problem arises when people bypass rules and later blame the government,” he said.

He also said the government cannot force people to meet obligations they choose to ignore.

“If, as an examiner, you give an exam to 100 students and 80 students pass, the teacher cannot be blamed for the rest. People complied. Those who did not comply, maybe they know why, maybe they no longer need the properties,” he remarked.

The FCT Administration has in recent months ramped up efforts to enforce land regulations, recover outstanding charges and sanitise property ownership documentation in the nation’s capital.