Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, explained on Monday how he revoked the certificate of occupancy (C of O) for some parcels of land awarded to Julius Berger in Abuja’s Katampe District.
Wike was addressing the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, during the official Flag-Off Ceremony for the Design and Construction of 40 Judges’ Quarters in the country’s capital.
Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, President of Nigeria’s Court of Appeal, also attended the occasion.
The former Rivers State Governor stated that he withdrew the land despite meeting with Julius Berger’s managing director over dinner.
“My Lord, let me bring to your attention. You’ve already seen this land. When we were hunting for land to develop. “I was driving around looking for empty land when I came across this one,” he explained.
“I saw the big post about ‘Julius Berger’. I didn’t speak. I called the director of lands and asked him, “Who owns that land?” And he said: Julius Berger. When was it allocated? He mentioned this roughly 15 to 20 years ago. 15 or 20 years ago? Has nothing been done? I did not bother.
“So I invited the MD (Managing Director) of Julius Berger. He arrived and we had dinner. I didn’t discuss the land. The next day, he was at the office and saw the revocation letter as a subject of public concern.
“He called and claimed that I had dinner with you. I agreed, and we had supper without discussing the land.
“How will the government provide land to NGOs for more than 20 years if they do not develop it? Thank goodness they did not develop it; now we can have it.”
