Ireti Kingibe: Ground rent not basis for arbitrary sealing of properties in Abuja

Ireti Kingibe, the senator representing the federal capital territory (FCT), says the sealing of properties in the nation’s capital over unpaid ground rents is being carried out outside the bounds of the law.

On Monday, the federal capital territory authority (FCTA) began shutting down properties in Abuja over alleged unpaid ground rent.

Some of the affected establishments include Access Bank and Total petrol station in Wuse district, headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

FCTA officials said 8,375 property owners collectively owe about N6.97 billion, with some debts dating back more than 40 years.

However, President Bola Tinubu intervened and issued a 14-day ultimatum for defaulting property owners to pay their alleged ground rent debt.

‘ARBITRARY TAKE OVER’

In a statement dated May 26, Kingibe expressed concerns over the action of the FCT administration regarding the sealing of properties.

“While the enforcement of regulations and tax obligations is necessary, such actions must be carried out within the bounds of legality, fairness, and sensitivity to the current economic realities faced by residents,” the statement reads.

“It is important to clarify that ground rent, a tax charged and collected by state governments on land granted pursuant to the Lands (Title Vesting, etc.) Act of 1975, is not grounds for arbitrary property takeover.

“While the government retains the constitutional power to revoke land for overriding public interest, such revocation must strictly follow due legal process as stipulated under the Land Use Act and the Urban and Regional Planning Act, including the payment of due compensation.

“Therefore, no Nigerian’s property can be lawfully seized, revoked, or sealed solely on account of failure to pay ground rent.

“The penalty for such default is, by law, limited to a fine or surcharge, not the compulsory taking over or sealing of the property without recourse to the due process prescribed under Section 42 of the Land Use Act and other relevant provisions.

“The indiscriminate and sometimes abrupt sealing of properties, often executed without proper notice, engagement, or adherence to legal procedure, only serves to deepen the economic distress of individuals, families, and business owners already facing mounting hardship.”

Kingibe said the closure of properties over unpaid ground rent undermines livelihoods, erodes public trust in institutions, and threatens the fragile social and economic stability of the FCT.

Kingibe said as a senator, she would not turn a blind eye while residents are subjected to enforcement practices that “contravene established laws and compound their suffering”.

The senator added that she is engaging with relevant authorities and exploring all legislative avenues to ensure that any enforcement actions taken are “consistent with the rule of law, fairness, and compassion”.