ABUJA LAND CLASH: EX-NAVAL CHIEF TURNED TO FORCE AFTER ALLEGED SCAM — WIKE’S AIDE
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Mr. Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant for Publicity and Communications to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has defended the minister’s conduct during Tuesday’s altercation with a naval officer in Abuja.
He characterized the event as the result of a land fraud that deceived a former naval chief.
In an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program on Wednesday, Olayinka stated that the contested parcel of land was initially designated in 2007 for park and recreational use, rather than for residential or commercial development.
“That specific land was designated to a firm in 2007, Santos Estate Limited, for park and recreational activities.
“The firm did not undertake any development on the land because that location is a parkway, a walkway, and a road corridor. Construction is prohibited there,” Olayinka remarked.
He elaborated that in 2022, the company sought permission from the FCT Administration to change the land’s designation from park to commercial, but the application was denied.
“In 2022, the minister of the FCT rejected that application. Wike was not in office at that time,” he pointed out.
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According to Olayinka, despite the refusal, the company unlawfully subdivided the land and sold portions to private individuals, including a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo (retd).
“Perhaps in expectation of the minister’s approval for conversion, the individual chose to subdivide the land, which had been designated for park and recreational use.
“He subsequently partitioned the land and sold it to others, including the former Chief of Naval Staff,” he clarified.
The aide, however, criticized the retired naval officer’s reaction, alleging that he attempted to exert military authority to claim ownership over the land.
“That is why I wish to assert that the Chief of Naval Staff was deceived. He has come to realize that he was a victim of a scam. Instead of seeking assistance, he opted to employ military force.
“After selling land assigned for park and recreational purposes for individuals to erect residences, who should the Chief of Naval Staff confront? The claimant or the government?
“He chose not to confront the perpetrator, the company that scammed him,” he added.
Olayinka further elaborated that the land in question is located in the Mabushi area, which is intended for public and corporate structures, not private dwellings.
He noted that Gambo possesses no legitimate title or sanctioned building plan for the land.
“Furthermore, that specific parcel has now been allocated for purposes, you know, if you are familiar with Abuja, you understand how Mabushi is.
“That is where the Ministry of Works area is situated. That portion of the land, that pathway is for public and corporate buildings, not for residential use, indicating that residential construction is prohibited there.
“As of today, Vice Admiral Gambo does not possess any documents or title showing that he owns the land. He does not have ownership of the land,” he concluded.
The assistant further elaborated that “assuming we are not admitting that he possesses title documents and holds ownership of the land, prior to commencing development on any property, there are procedures that one must navigate.
“One such procedure is to obtain a building plan, a blueprint illustrating the intended construction for the land. This building plan must then be submitted to the development control authority.
“The pertinent question that Nigerians should pose to Vice Admiral Gambo is whether he submitted his building plan for that land to the development control authority. Additionally, did the development control authority grant approval for the building plan? ”
Olayinka’s remarks came in response to widespread reactions to a viral video depicting Wike confronting naval personnel securing a property associated with the retired officer on Tuesday.
The confrontation has since ignited a public discourse regarding land administration, civil-military relations, and the potential abuse of authority within the Federal Capital Territory.
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