From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

This is even as he stressed that his greatest challenge remains the refusal of some residents—especially the elite—to pay ground rents, despite these being longstanding, unchanged obligations.

“My greatest challenge is the challenge of people refusing to pay their money. I will speak on that in the next media chat. And people just want facilities, people want infrastructure. But nobody asks, where are you getting these funds? Abuja is not one of the oil cities; we only rely on taxes. These are not new taxes. These are taxes that have been here for years,” Wike stated.

President Bola Tinubu had granted a 14-day ultimatum for defaulters to pay their arrears, along with penalties ranging from N2 million to N3 million, depending on property location.

Speaking on the recent sealing of properties belonging to ground rent defaulters, including major institutions like the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, the National Agency for Trafficking in Persons, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Access Bank, and a TotalEnergies Filling Station, which have drawn criticism, Wike said: “It is unfortunate that most elites own houses overseas. They know the implication of not paying taxes; they know such houses are gone. But when it comes to your own country, you don’t want to do that, simply because nobody wants to obey the law; everybody thinks there are no sanctions.

“Look at the years, 20-something years, 30-something years. And how much is it? We have not increased the ground rent, but we are working towards that; we will do that, I can assure. The President has given a waiver of two weeks. Let nobody think that blackmail or whatever will stop us; we will do what we are supposed to do,” he stated.

He also revealed that he recently signed over 1,500 Certificates of Occupancy and Deeds of Assignment, urging residents to pay their taxes and ground rents to support development in the FCT.

“If you pay tax, you will see that it will be a different thing. And that’s what we are trying to do,” Wike said.

The minister also addressed recent security concerns, denying reports of a suicide bombing in Abuja. He described such claims as deliberate misinformation intended to create panic.

He clarified that security agencies never reported such, and urged investigative journalism.

“What happened is that somebody went to where we have a quarry where they blast all these rocks and took an explosive and put it in his pocket. Of course, some of them may not even understand the implication of that, so it exploded on him. But that does not mean it’s a suicide bomber,” the Minister explained. He cautioned against planting unverified stories that could instil fear.

He reassured residents of the FCT Administration’s continued improvements in security, affirming that Abuja remains one of the most secure places in the country. “We will continue to do what we need to do to allay the fears of residents that Abuja is secure,” he stated.

The minister reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to strengthening security and urged responsible journalism and public cooperation.

The minister also undertook an extensive inspection of critical infrastructure projects across Abuja city centre, in preparation for their commissioning to mark the second anniversary of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

In a statement by Assistant Director of Press, Rabi Umar, during the tour, Wike assessed the progress of major developments, including the International Conference Centre (ICC) and the Arterial Roads N5 and N16. He expressed satisfaction with the quality and pace of work, emphasising the FCT administration’s dedication to delivering vital infrastructure for residents.

“The International Conference Centre is fully ready for commissioning, with the contractor having fulfilled their commitments, showcasing superb quality,” said the Minister. He further revealed that Arterial Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way) from Life Junction to Ring Road III is 95% complete, with contractor Julius Berger guaranteeing full readiness by the end of next week.

Regarding the N16 interchange, which connects Maitama and Katampe districts at Gishiri, Barrister Wike stated: “The contractor, CGC, has completed significant portions of the bridge, with the section leading to Judges Quarters and the link from Jahi to Wole Soyinka Way now fully open.” He commended the contractors for their professionalism and quality of work.

“I am so happy that the contractors have lived up to expectations. The quality of work is superb,” the Minister said, noting the positive impact on residents. He highlighted that these projects reflect President Tinubu’s commitment to enhancing Abuja’s road infrastructure.

Barrister Wike indicated that while the International Conference Centre was initially slated for early commissioning, requests from members of the House of Representatives and Senate Committees on the FCT necessitated a date adjustment to ensure broader participation. He added that the Arterial Road N16 will likely be the first project to be unveiled.