EXCLUSIVE: How FCT Minister Wike Revoked 30 Hectares Of Land Owned By Top Military Officers, Reallocated Same To Associates Including INEC Chair Amupitan
EXCLUSIVE: Inside Story of How FCT Minister Wike Revoked 30 Hectares of Land Owned by Top Military Officers and Reallocated It to His Associates, Including INEC Chairman Amupitan
November 11, 2025
News Desk
Fresh revelations have emerged surrounding the controversial land dispute that led to Tuesday’s confrontation between the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and Nigerian soldiers who barred him and his officials from accessing a disputed property in the Gudu District of Abuja.
According to information obtained exclusively by SaharaReporters, a legal practitioner involved in the matter disclosed that the contested 30-hectare parcel of land was originally allocated to serving and retired military officers but was later revoked by Minister Wike. The lawyer alleged that the land was subsequently reallocated to some of Wike’s close political associates — notably including the current Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Sam Amupitan.
The source, who has been directly involved in the case, described the revocation and redistribution process as being conducted “in total disregard of due process, official recommendations, and previously approved documents.”
“I am personally handling this matter as a lawyer, along with several other cases of questionable revocations and reallocations by Wike,” the source said. “He revoked the 30-hectare land and reallocated it to a select group of people, one of whom we were confidentially informed is the current INEC Chairman. Unfortunately for him, a former Chief of Naval Staff, Awwal Gambo, and some serving army officers already had vested interests and had commenced development on parts of the land.”
The lawyer further revealed that the land was originally designated as a park and recreation area, but Wike allegedly altered its use to multi-purpose before issuing new Rights of Occupancy (RofO) to the new beneficiaries.
A letter dated May 17, 2022, addressed to the MD/CEO of Santos Estate Limited by Hajiya Riskatu Abdulazeez, Director of the Parks & Recreation Department, confirmed that the land — identified as Green Area Plot 1946, CZ B13, Gaduwa — covered approximately 31 hectares. It was part of the Parkway System within the Gaduwa District and had previously been subdivided and allocated to several organizations, including:
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Santos Estates Limited
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Curio International Ventures
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Curio Communications Limited
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Mozad Ventures Limited
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Decency Hotels Limited
The letter emphasized that developing and managing large recreational parks required substantial private investment, and that FCTA’s policy was to collaborate with private organizations for park development.
However, according to the lawyer, “Approval had been sought as far back as 2014 but was never granted, despite a memo recommending approval. Wike ignored all previous correspondences, altered the designated land use, and issued new RofOs to his allies.”
Tensions reportedly escalated when Minister Wike, accompanied by about 50 armed police officers and two bulldozers, stormed the site in an attempt to reclaim and demolish structures already erected by the military allottees.
“Captain Adam Yariman is the officer Wike was confronting in that viral video,” the lawyer recounted. “We were together when we received reports that Wike had arrived at the site with police officers and bulldozers to destroy property and drive out the rightful occupants.”
The Nigerian Army, according to the lawyer, challenged the minister to take the matter to court — a move Wike has allegedly avoided.
“The Army has repeatedly asked Wike to go to court, but he refuses because he knows the revocation was illegal,” the source said.
He further accused the minister of habitually dismissing aggrieved landowners by telling them to “go to court,” even while disregarding existing judicial proceedings and administrative reviews.
The confrontation between the minister and the soldiers, captured in a viral video obtained by SaharaReporters, shows Wike engaged in a heated exchange with a senior army officer who stood his ground, refusing to allow the minister access to the disputed land.
Source: SAHARA REPORTER