BREAKING: FCTA takes over Access Bank, Total Petrol Station over unpaid ground rent

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has sealed off an Access Bank branch and a Total filling station in Wuse, Abuja, for failing to settle outstanding ground rent payments.

This development is part of a sweeping enforcement operation aimed at recovering statutory fees from defaulting property owners.

The FCTA’s broader effort has already seen the revocation of 4,794 land titles in high-profile areas like Wuse, Maitama, Asokoro, and Garki.

Authorities revealed that a staggering 8,375 property owners collectively owe nearly ₦6.97 billion in ground rent arrears, with some debts tracing back over four decades. Officials emphasized that the clampdown is intended to compel compliance and restore accountability in land administration within the capital city.

The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, emphasized that the revocations were executed in accordance with Section 28(5) of the Land Use Act, which permits the government to reclaim land from titleholders who fail to meet the conditions of their occupancy rights.