Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has vehemently refuted circulating online reports alleging that he allocated 2,082 hectares of land in Abuja’s high-brow districts of Maitama and Asokoro to his son. Describing the claims as “completely false and malicious,” Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, issued a statement yesterday to set the record straight, asserting that “not even a single plot of land has been allocated to any of the Minister’s children.”

Olayinka launched a scathing critique against those responsible for the publication, labeling them as “quack journalists” who lack fundamental journalistic training and credibility. He challenged the feasibility of such a large land allocation in the densely populated and developed areas, questioning rhetorically, “In Asokoro and Maitama of today, where can the FCT Minister see 2,082 hectares of land to allocate to anyone?” He added that only unprofessional journalists would disseminate such a baseless claim.

The report in question had cited a Right of Occupancy (R-of-O) allegedly issued to JOAQ Farms and Estate Limited as evidence of the purported allocation. However, Olayinka clarified that the land allocated to this duly registered Nigerian company was located in Bwari Area Council and was approved strictly for agricultural purposes. He underscored, “For the avoidance of doubt, JOAQ Farms and Estate Limited, a company duly registered in Nigeria, got land allocation in Bwari Area Council for the purpose of farming. So, what’s wrong with a farmer getting land allocation strictly for agriculture?”

While acknowledging that the Minister and his family are legally entitled to own land anywhere in Nigeria, including the FCT, provided all conditions are met, Olayinka firmly reiterated that no land has been allocated to Wike’s children under his current administration. He directly challenged the publishers of the report to present any document or official record proving otherwise, urging the public to disregard what he termed “another malicious falsehood aimed at tarnishing the image of the minister.” This denial comes amid ongoing calls for transparency in land allocations within the FCT, a subject of significant public interest and political debate.

Meanwhile, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, also revealed that the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja is fully booked until 2027. This news comes despite initial criticisms surrounding the project, with Wike highlighting the facility’s high demand as a clear indication of its value and relevance. Speaking yesterday during the official commissioning of the Kugbo Bus Terminal, an event attended by President Tinubu’s representative, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Minister noted that the FCT Administration is currently working to adjust the centre’s tight schedule to accommodate a request from the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review, which also seeks to utilize the venue. Wike defended the Tinubu administration, stating that the extensive interest in the conference centre demonstrates the government’s foresight and the project’s undeniable usefulness to the nation.