Unpaid ground rent: FCTA seals FIRS, PDP, Access Bank, Total; FIRS criticizes closure, demands apology

The Federal Capital Administration (FCTA) on Monday sealed the premises of the Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS), Access Bank, and Total Energy in Wuse over unpaid ground rent.

This action follows the FCTA’s recent announcement on Sunday, stating its intention to reclaim properties affected by the revocation of 4,794 land titles due to non-payment of ground rent spanning 10 to 43 years.

The Director of Land, FCTA, Chijoke Nwankwoeze, explained during the exercise that the properties have reverted to the FCTA.

Nwankwoeze said that the exercise marks the commencement of taking possession of more than 4,794 revoked properties by the FCTA.

He explained that the FIRS building, located in Wuse Zone 5, owed the FCTA ground rent for 25 years.

He added that the Access Bank building, on Plot No. 2456, Wuse I, Cadastral Zone A02, Abuja, belonged to Rana Tahir Furniture Nig. Ltd, and had not paid ground rent for 34 years.

Also, torched by officials from the Federal Capital Territory Administration Monday was the National Headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party.

At exactly 2:06 pm, a group of FCTA staff locked the entrance gate of Wadata Plaza, the PDP’s national secretariat located in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

Nwankwoeze said that the property has thus reverted to the FCTA, which has now taken possession thereof.

Earlier, the enforcement team sealed Total Energy on plot 534 Cadastral Zone A02 Wuse Zone 1, belonging to Total PLC, over unpaid ground rent for more than 10 years.

The Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, said that the action was to take possession of the property, which had been revoked in March.

Galadima recalled that the FCTA has announced its decision to take possession of the more than 4,000 revoked properties in the territory for non-payment of ground rent for more than 10 years.

“So, today is just to comply with what we have said that we are going to take over all the revoked properties, and we are starting with a plot 534 Cadastral Zone A02 that Wuse Zone 1, owned by Total PLC,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has expressed strong displeasure over the invasion of two of its offices in Abuja by officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) while enforcing non-payment of ground rent allegedly owed by the agency.

The FIRS, at a press conference at the Revenue House in Abuja on Monday, described the incident as embarrassing and demanded apology from the FCTA officials for the unjustifiable invasion, insisting that the FCTA officials acted in error.

FIRS Director, Facility Management Department, Mr Tyofa Abeghe; Special Adviser on Infrastructure, Kunle Ogidi; Special Adviser Media to the Executive Chairman, Dare Adekanmbi; Collins Omokaro and Arabirin Aderonke Atoyebi all addressed the press conference on Monday.

Refuting the allegation that FIRS owed 25-year ground on two of its office at No 12 and 14, Sokode Crescent, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, Abeghe said nothing could be further from the truth, maintaining that FIRS had cleared the said money.

Abeghe said a demand notice from Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) dated September 2023, asking for ground rent on the properties was honoured with a payment of N2,364,003 three months after the notice was issued.
He added that frustrated that the payment was not receipted and treasury receipt issued, Abeghe said a letter dated February 19, 2024, was written requesting that the payment be confirmed and same receipted.

He further disclosed that the letter, which was duly acknowledged by the front desk office of AGIS, was neither responded to nor the payment receipted.

In his own remarks, the Special Adviser on Infrastructure, Ogidi condemned what he described as administrative rascality of the FCTA officials, adding that they would have known that the ground rent had been paid if they had done due diligence.

“As a law-abiding agency, FIRS do not owe FCTA ground rent on any of its offices in FCT on anywhere, including the ones invaded by these officials.

“For clarity, on the two offices sealed which are located on Plot 627, Sokode Crescent, a sum of N2, 364, 003.26 covering ground rent on the properties for the fiscal year 2000 to 2024 has since been paid.

“FIRS has about seven offices in Sokode Crescent alone. Why are we going to pay ground rent on others and leave only two? Does that make sense?” asked Adekanmbi.

In their own remarks, Omokaro and Arabirin Atoyebi stressed the need to nurture and strengthen inter-agency collaboration to avoid future occurrence, while also apologising to the members of staff and taxpayers who were traumatised during the invasion.