The recent land reforms introduced by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, have been hailed in some quarters as bold and decisive. But a closer and more critical look reveals that these so-called reforms are nothing short of a one-sided, draconian exercise in authority, one that fails woefully in upholding the principles of equity, fairness, and justice.
While the reforms lavish attention on issuing ultimatums, revoking titles, and dictating terms to private landowners, they conspicuously lack any commitment from the FCT Administration itself regarding infrastructure provision, responsible land administration, or the rights of existing landowners. Instead of fostering trust and inclusive development, Wike’s approach has heightened fears of institutional land grabbing disguised as urban renewal.
Equity in Land Allocation:
The FCT land reforms are alarmingly silent on one of the most crucial issues plaguing the capital city, equitable land allocation. Land in Abuja has become the commodity of the powerful, auctioned behind closed doors and distributed through networks of political patronage. The ordinary citizen, community dwellers, and even long-term leaseholders are increasingly disenfranchised under a system that rewards proximity to power.
If reforms are to be genuine and sustainable, they must address how land is allocated in the first place. Why are traditional title holders, indigenous people, and honest applicants perpetually left at the mercy of bureaucracy while political allies acquire massive plots overnight?
One Rule for Landowners, Another for the FCT Administration
Minister Wike has issued ultimatums to landowners demanding that they develop properties or risk revocation. But what reciprocal obligations has the FCT Administration fulfilled? Have they ensured the basic infrastructure such as roads, power, water, and drainage , necessary for such developments? In most cases, the answer is no.
It is deeply unjust to punish landowners for not building on plots where government has failed to provide enabling conditions. If land reforms must be enforced, then the government must also be held accountable. The FCT should publish a timeline for its own responsibilities, just as it imposes deadlines on citizens.
The Judiciary and the Peril of Influence
We cannot ignore the Minister’s strategy of building mansions for the judiciary, a gesture presented as benevolence but viewed by many as an attempt to bring the judicial arm under his tutelage. By housing judges and senior justices in government constructed quarters, the lines between separation of powers and institutional compromise blur dangerously.
How can landowners expect justice when the very institutions meant to safeguard their rights now live under the shadow of the executive? This is not reform—it is strategic capture.
Abuja is Not Rivers State
Abuja is not Rivers. The people of the capital city welcomed Minister Wike in good faith, trusting that his energy and passion for development would translate into inclusive governance. But that trust is fast eroding.
This city is not a private estate, and the residents are not subordinates. Wike’s tactics may have worked elsewhere, but the FCT is the heart of the nation, home to diverse peoples, cultures, and institutions. The more his reforms veer into autocracy and land grabbing, the more he will meet organized resistance. Power, after all, begets power.
The landowners and stakeholders of Abuja will not fold their arms while their rights are trampled. Over time, his land grabs will be met power for power, voice for voice, and law for law. This is a democracy, not a dictatorship.
What Must Be Done
If the FCT Administration is sincere about reforms, it must:
Ensure transparency in land allocation, with publicly available data on who receives land and why.
Establish an independent land tribunal to hear complaints from landowners and arbitrate disputes without fear or favor.
Provide timelines and commitments for government-led infrastructure in undeveloped areas.
Recognize and compensate indigenous communities and legal titleholders before any revocation.
Cease executive interference in the judiciary, restoring its autonomy and public confidence.
In the final analysis, any land reform that sacrifices equity at the altar of expediency, and justice in the pursuit of authority is doomed to collapse. Abuja is not a war zone to be conquered by edicts and force—it is a living city that demands participatory governance and fairness for all its residents.
Until Wike’s reforms begin to reflect these principles, they will remain what they appear to be: an ambitious land grab cloaked in the language of urban renewal.
Bukar Mohammed is a governance and public policy analyst. He writes from Abuja and can be reached via Fstyler2000@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: This article is entirely the opinion of the writer and does not represent the views of The Whistler.
Wike’s Land Reforms: A Backdoor For Land Grabbing? is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
Source: The Whistler
