Wike Reduces UniAbuja Land From 11,000 To 4,000 Hectares

 

Federal Capital Territory FCT minister, Nyesom Wike has accused the University of Abuja of land grabbing, scaling down the university’s permanent site in Giri District from over 11,000 hectares to 4,000 hectares.

Wike made the announcement on Monday in Abuja when the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Tajudeen Abbas commissioned the access road to the permanent site of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC Academy and other roads in Giri District, on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.

Initially sitting on 11,824 hectares, the University of Abuja was Nigeria’s third largest University by landmass, coming after Obafemi Awolowo University OAU with 13,000 hectares and the University of Ilorin with 15,000 hectares.

It is now eight on the table, coming after Federal University of Technology Owerri FUTO which sits on 4,048 hectares.

Speaking at the event, Wike said; “What we have done now is, having created this access road, we have told the Executive Secretary of FCDA and other relevant agencies to start working out details of how we are going to do the roads within the district, so, that we are sure that maybe in the next one year, it will be a different thing.

“This district, like the Executive Secretary has said, we are going to have most institutions like the University, the EFCC Academy and other institutions that are supposed to be here.

“This road has helped us to stop the land grabbing by the University. The University on their own grabbed 11,000 hectares. I said that will not happen. No document, nothing. You see them fencing everywhere, and before you knew 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. You just wake up in the morning, all you see is just fencing all over, no document, nothing. That is not the way we are supposed to work”.

Wike also expressed readiness to accommodate the National Assembly’s legislative institute in the area.

He said; “EFCC will be the first beneficiary of this road. Like the chairman said, they will start the academy immediately because now they have access roads that they can move in their equipments and develop this. When this comes, you see that other people will also move in and develop their own area.

“Most of the problems we are having here is that sometimes when you allocate land, there are no facilities, no infrastructure and people are not encouraged. So, we will do everything we can to see that basic infrastructure is being provided”.

On her part, Minister of State FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud noted that 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,” she declared.

While commending Wike’s visionary and dynamic leadership in accelerating development across the territory, Mahmoud stressed that the road is part of a broader initiative to open up underserved communities and stimulate economic activities within the Area Councils.

Also speaking, EFCC chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede noted that upon his assumption of office, he prioritized the development of the site.

“However, the major challenge that confronted us was to assess the site. We were actually at a loss on how to navigate this challenge until the Honorable Minister of FCT, the man called Mr Project, came to our rescue. He not only promised to construct the road, he delivered the road in record time”, he said.

Represented by the Commission’s secretary, Muhammad Hammajoda, the antigraft czar said with access road, the development of the Academy can now proceed.

“On completion, the EFCC Academy will be a centre of excellence in financial crimes enforcement, training and research. A cyber crime research centre will also be domiciled in the academy.

“This road will not only provide vital access to the EFCC Academy, it will contribute to the training of officers who will sustain the momentum of fight against corruption in Nigeria and boost the economic and social activities in this corridor”, he added.