Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has defended his administration’s controversial revocation of undeveloped land allocations in Abuja, insisting that the policy is yielding visible results and strengthening key public institutions.
Speaking during the commissioning of the newly constructed Court of Appeal Judges’ Quarters in Katampe District, Wike said allegations that he was grabbing land for personal interests have been disproved by the projects now standing on reclaimed plots.
According to him, the land used for the judges’ quarters had been allocated to a major construction company over 15 years ago but remained undeveloped until the FCT Administration revoked the allocation and put it to public use.
“Those who accused me of land grabbing can now see that I did not grab any land. We simply took back land that was abandoned for over 15 years and transformed it into infrastructure that serves the judiciary and the Nigerian people,” Wike said.
The commissioning ceremony was performed on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
In a message delivered at the event, President Tinubu described the project as a clear demonstration of his administration’s commitment to the welfare, dignity, and independence of the judiciary, stressing that a strong justice system remains critical to national development, economic growth, and good governance.
The event also featured the groundbreaking ceremony for new residential quarters for judges of the National Industrial Court and the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Wike further announced that the commissioning of judiciary-related infrastructure in the FCT will continue, with the Federal High Court Judges’ Quarters in Katampe scheduled for inauguration next.