Kehinde Fajobi
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revealed that he revoked the certificate of occupancy (C of O) of land allocated to Julius Berger in Abuja’s Katampe District. The land is now being used for the construction of 40 housing units for judges in the capital.
Speaking at the official launch of the project on Monday, Wike shared how he secured the land after finding it undeveloped for over 15 years.
“I was driving around looking for land to build, and I saw this empty land with a big post saying ‘Julius Berger.’ I called the director of lands and asked who owned it. He told me it was allocated to Julius Berger about 15, 20 years ago, but nothing had been done,” Wike explained.
He continued, “I invited the MD of Julius Berger for dinner, and we didn’t talk about the land. The next day, he received the revocation letter. He called and said, ‘But I had dinner with you.’ I told him, ‘Yes, but we didn’t discuss the land.’”
Wike defended the decision, stating, “How will the government allocate land for more than 20 years, and it goes undeveloped? Thank God they didn’t develop it, and now we can use it.”
The project, funded with 70% of the approved amount already released, will see 20 units allocated to the FCT High Court, 10 to the Federal High Court, and 10 to the Court of Appeal.
Wike highlighted that post-retirement housing would protect judges from manipulation and external pressures.
The event was attended by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, among others.