HURIWA Cautions Wike: Arbitrary Seizure of Land Over Ground Rent Is Illegal, Tyrannical

HURIWA Cautions Wike: Arbitrary Seizure of Land Over Ground Rent Is Illegal, Tyrannical

By Emmanuel Onwubiko

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed deep alarm over the recent actions taken by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) under the authority of Minister Nyesom Wike to revoke and seal thousands of properties in Abuja over alleged ground rent defaults.

In a strongly worded statement issued in Abuja on Friday, the civil rights group condemned the move as a blatant abuse of executive power and an affront to the rule of law, constitutionalism, and human dignity.

The statement follows the intervention of the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Ireti Kingibe, who declared that the actions of the Minister contravene the Land Use Act and violate the rights of property owners in the capital city. According to Kingibe, failure to pay ground rent does not provide legal justification for the FCTA to seize, revoke, or seal private properties without due process as enshrined in the Constitution and applicable land laws.

HURIWA aligned completely with the Senator’s position, describing Wike’s actions as “authoritarian, unlawful, and dangerously close to a calculated attempt to grab citizens’ land assets under the guise of revenue enforcement.” The rights group therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Assembly, and the Nigerian judiciary to urgently check what it described as the Minister’s “growing penchant for executive lawlessness.”

“The FCT Minister is not a deity. He is not a landlord. He is a public servant and a steward of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, sworn to uphold the Constitution and obey the laws of the land. He must be reminded that land is not just a physical asset—it is an ancestral spirit, a source of identity, livelihood, and survival for millions. Arbitrary revocation or sealing of such sacred assets must never be tolerated in a democracy,” HURIWA said.

Citing Section 44 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the group reminded the Minister that the right to own immovable property anywhere in Nigeria is a constitutional guarantee, and any action to deprive a citizen of such property must be justified under the law and follow due process, including prompt compensation. Similarly, HURIWA referred to Section 28 of the Land Use Act, which outlines the lawful grounds and procedure for revocation of a statutory right of occupancy.

“The Land Use Act is clear. Government can only revoke land in the overriding public interest, and even at that, due compensation must be paid. Failure to pay ground rent, even if prolonged, does not qualify as ‘overriding public interest’ and does not justify revocation or sealing of property,” HURIWA emphasized.

The group also referenced Section 42 of the Land Use Act, which stipulates that individuals affected by any decision of the Governor regarding land administration must be given notice, a fair hearing, and the opportunity to seek redress in court. “Minister Wike is not above the law. Any action he takes outside the confines of the legal framework amounts to executive brigandage,” HURIWA warned.

Reacting to reports that over 4,700 properties had been revoked, including sensitive institutions like the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the PDP National Secretariat, and prominent hotels, HURIWA described the operation as “reckless, anti-people, and counterproductive,” especially in a fragile economy where citizens and businesses are already grappling with severe inflation, rising taxes, and harsh economic conditions.

“The timing of these actions is appalling. At a time when Nigerians are struggling to keep their businesses afloat, feed their families, and cope with the multidimensional poverty exacerbated by the fuel subsidy removal and economic shocks, this administration is choosing to inflict more pain by seizing their homes and business premises without lawful justification,” the statement added.

HURIWA further urged the FCT Minister to desist from using state power as a political weapon or a tool of intimidation, stressing that a minister’s role is to serve, not to dominate or terrorize the very people he was appointed to lead. “Mr. Wike must not mistake the FCT for a personal fiefdom. The FCT is the common property of all Nigerians, and any minister who attempts to dispossess citizens of their legitimate holdings is no better than a conqueror.”

The group also warned against the return of what it described as “military-era style executive fiat,” where the rights of citizens are routinely trampled upon under the cloak of administrative enforcement. “This is a democracy. No Nigerian—whether a Senator, a Minister, or a President—is above the Constitution,” HURIWA reiterated.

The rights group praised Senator Ireti Kingibe for her boldness and principled stand on the issue, describing her intervention as the voice of reason in an increasingly hostile governance climate. “We urge all lawmakers, civil society organizations, religious leaders, traditional institutions, and residents of the FCT to rise up and reject this creeping tyranny before it becomes normalized.”

HURIWA concluded by demanding a full reversal of all arbitrary property revocations, immediate unsealing of all affected structures, and the institution of a legal audit of the FCTA’s enforcement activities to determine the extent of abuses and recommend redress. The group also vowed to pursue litigation on behalf of affected residents should the Minister fail to retrace his steps.

“Land is life. It is heritage. It is a spirit. No one, not even a Minister, has the right to dispossess Nigerians of their land without following due process. This is our final warning: Nigerians will not tolerate a land-grabbing regime in the name of ground rent enforcement,” the statement concluded.

Ends .