Ex-naval chief was scammed — disputed land allocated for park, says Wike’s aide

Lere Olayinka, special adviser to Nyesom Wike, the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), has accused Awwal Gambo, former chief of naval staff, of being scammed in a land dispute in Abuja and resorting to military force to assert his claim.

On Tuesday, Wike was involved in a confrontation with naval officers over a disputed parcel of land belonging to Gambo.

In a video circulating on social media, the minister was stopped by a military personnel from accessing the site, leading to a heated exchange between his security detail and the naval officers.

Speaking about the matter on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, on Wednesday, Olayinka said Gambo does not possess a title document proving ownership of the disputed land.

He challenged Gambo to confirm whether he submitted building plans for the land to the FCT development control office and whether those plans were approved.

“Vice Admiral Gambo does not have a title document showing that he owns the land; he does not own the land,” Olayinka said.

“Nigerians should ask him if he took his building plan to the Development Control Office and if it was approved.”

Olayinka recounted how the land was allocated in 2007 to one Santos Estate Limited for park and recreation purposes.

He said the company did not develop the land because it was designated as a parkway and walkway.

Olayinka said in 2022, Santos Estate Limited requested the FCT to convert the land’s use to commercial use, adding that the then minister of FCT refused to approve the conversion.

He said following refusal, the company allegedly began partitioning and selling the land, including to the former naval chief.

“That particular company was allocated in 2007 to Santos Estate limited for park and recreation. The company did not do anything on the land because that place is a parkway, a walkway,” he said.

“In 2022, the company wrote to the FCTA to convert the purpose to commercial. Probably in anticipation of the minister’s approval for conversion. The man started to partition the land and sold it to people, including the formal chief of naval staff.

“I want to say the former chief of naval staff was scammed and he has realized he was scammed. Instead of him coming out to seek help, he now resorted to using military might.

“In 2022, the minister of FCT declined the request for conversion but the man had already sold the land by then. Wike wasn’t the minister then.

“The minister is not against anybody. He is enforcing the law, which states that you cannot build on that land without approval. If you build without approval, the law mandates demolition. The minister is simply doing his job and is not targeting anyone.”

Olayinka said soldiers deployed to the land by Gambo are there to protect what he described as “illegality”.