By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike said his administration has retrieved 7,000 out of the 11,000 hectares of land illegally acquired by the University of Abuja (UniAbuja).
He disclosed this on Monday, during the inauguration of the newly completed access road to Giri district, marking day- 13 out of the 17 projects lined up for commissioning to celebrate Tinubu’s second year in office.
Wike had about three months ago, when he inspected the project handled by Levant Construction Limited, expressed disappointment over the large area of land occupied the University of Abuja that remains undeveloped and threatened to revoke it.
The minister said he had directed the Director of lands Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and other relevant agencies to carve out 4,000 hectares and give to the University.
He said the remaining 7,000 will be allocated to roads within the district and other projects within the area.
Wike accused the institution of fencing large area without document backing the activity, describing it as land grabbing.
He also said Giri will be an important district that will attract so many investors, even as he pledged the administration’s readiness to do more in providing infrastructure to the area.
“This road has helped us to stop the land grabbing by University of Abuja. The University on their own grabbed 11,000 hectares, and I say that will not happen. No document, nothing. You see them fencing everywhere, and before you know it, they would have gone to sell our land.
“So I have told the Director of Lands and the other relevant agencies to carve out 4,000 hectares and give to the University. The other ones would be reallocated because we are going to provide the roads here, and that is the true situation. We cannot allow people to take it over.
“You just wake up in the morning, all you see is fencing all over, no document, nothing. That is not the way we are supposed to work” Wike said.
On her part, the Minister of state for FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud said the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu has continued to shape the transformation of the nation’s capital.
“This project is yet another shining example of his administration’s commitment to infrastructure development, connectivity, and inclusive growth,”
Mahmoud commended the visionary and dynamic leadership of Wike for accelerating development across the territory, saying that the road is part of a broader initiative to open up underserved communities and stimulate economic activities within the area councils.
Giving an overview of the project, the acting Executive Secretary Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Richard Dauda said Giri district is planned to be an institutional area with some institutions such as the University of Abuja and the EFCC Academy present.
He explained that the proposed main sewage treatment plant for the city at Giri is also located within the district, with other settlements like the Iddo-Sabo and Suka villages that are also within the district.
Dauda said the scope of works for the project includes the construction of a total of three kilometers of asphalt paved carriageway of two lanes with a parking lane., box and pipe culverts, concrete side drains and other drainage facilities as well as solar street lighting.
