N29bn Ground Rent: FCTA To Prosecute 413 Defaulters

Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) said in its desire to recover over N29 billion in ground rent owed by property owners, it has concluded plans to prosecute about 413 defaulting property owners by the end of August 2022.

The FCT director of information and communication and chairman, media and publicity sub-committee, Muhammad Hazat Sule, in a statement, said that the legal fireworks, which are expected to commence at the end of this month, may lead to the forfeiture of the affected property to the government in line with relevant laws.

He said it was disheartening that some of the debtors have failed to pay their outstanding ground rents, despite several appeals and warnings, thereby putting the fate of their properties on the balance.

“Accordingly, since all entreaties failed, the administration has no other option than to commence the prosecution of the first batch of defaulting property owners.

“It would be recalled that the committee has earlier announced the engagement of five law firms, owned by Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) who have been hired to prepare legal documents to commence legal action against the defaulting titleholders.

“Already, letters serving as last warning to the debtors have been dispatched, and the real court cases will start at the end of August 2022,” he said.

He said it would be noted that the FCT permanent secretary, Adesola Olusade had recently inaugurated a debt recovery committee with the mandate to recover the outstanding debts owed the FCT administration with a particular interest in ground rents and other sundry fees in the land administration as well as other land related departments.