“University land can never be too much.” That was the firm response from Prof. Lar Patricia Manko, Acting Vice Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University (formerly University of Abuja), as she addressed the recent accusation by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who alleged the institution had “grabbed” 11,000 hectares of land.
In a press briefing held in Abuja, Prof. Manko dismissed the claim, stating that the 11,000 hectares were legitimately allocated by the Federal Government as part of the university’s foundational assets.
“This land is a legacy asset. It was given to the university by the Federal Government to secure its future development. We are not selling land. We are building a future,” she said.
The controversy was ignited on June 30, during the inauguration of an access road in the Giri district, where Wike criticized the institution for allegedly fencing off land without proper documentation.
“No document, nothing. That’s all you see there, fencing everywhere. And before you know it, they were going to sell our land,” Wike had claimed.
“So, I’ve told the Director of Lands and the relevant agencies to carve out 4,000 hectares and give it to the university. The rest will be used for infrastructure. We cannot allow it at all.”
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But Prof. Manko insists that the university is fully within its rights.
She noted that the land in question is not idle but earmarked for vital development projects including agriculture, tourism, staff housing, student hostels, and research centers.
“We’re in partnership with several investors. Some projects are already underway under Memorandums of Understanding. The current staff quarters are on temporary land offered by the military. We are transitioning to permanent infrastructure at our main site,” she explained.
While acknowledging Wike’s authority as the “landlord of the FCT,” Manko emphasized that the future of higher education must not be compromised by politics.
“We need space to grow. Universities don’t just need classrooms—they need ecosystems.”