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Wike, Naval officer face-off: More facts emerge as FCTA clarifies land status

Published

11 months ago

November 15, 2025

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Officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, (FCTA) have taken responsibility for the incident that occurred on Tuesday, at a disputed site on Plot 1946 Gaduwa District, involving the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and a naval officer, Lt. A.M Yerima.

A video showing Wike being blocked by naval officers from accessing a disputed property linked to former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (rtd), had gone viral.

But the Director of the FCTA Department of Development Control, Tpl Mukhtar Galadima, while providing a detailed account of events and clarifying the legality of the ongoing development, expressed regret over the incident.

Galadima, who spoke to journalists after the FCT Executive Committee (EXCO) meeting, recounted the tense encounter and issued a formal apology for dragging the Minister into the matter.

He said: “It is with a sense of commitment, emotion and regret that we address this press conference on the incident that happened on Tuesday, 11th of November, 2025, at the Gaduwa District.

“On the 17th of October, staff of the Department of Development Control on routine monitoring of ongoing development within the respective districts of the Federal Capital City noticed an ongoing development within the corridor of the Southern Parkway and when enquiring the necessary approval status and documents, they were met by stiff resistance and threat to shoot by men of the Nigerian Navy.

“The matter was reported to me on the 18th. I appealed to a colleague and course mate and naval officer, to intervene and prevail on the officers on site to attend to our request. So the request was granted”.

Galadima explained that the officers on site claimed all their approvals were with their lawyers and engineers, and that what was eventually provided was merely a letter of intent issued in 2007 by the Department of Parks and Recreation, not a formal approval.

“We came back on Monday, the same site, I met the officer, Navy Lieutenant Yarima, and I appealed to him, please, if you have this approval, show it to us, because what was sent to us is not an approval, it’s just a letter of intent issued by the Department of Parks and Recreation.

“So, while this discussion was going on, the lawyer came. And the lawyer said, no, the next solution is the Department of Development Control. I said, as a lawyer, there is a clear difference between submission and approval, and you know it is illegal within the prohibitions of the FCT Act of 1976 and the Urban and Regional Planning Law of 1992 to commence development in the Federal Capital Territory without approval. He said he’s aware, but the solution is under process. I said, then this development is illegal”, he added.

Galadima said he sent a distress call to the Minister due to the presence of armed men on site, which led to the public confrontation.

He apologised to the Minister and to Nigerians for the tense situation, while reinforcing that the development was unauthorized.

The director said; “I want to sincerely apologize to the Honorable Minister for dragging him into this situation on that fateful Tuesday. On that fateful Tuesday, when we were there to enforce the directive of the Honorable Minister, we noticed the impending danger because armed men were strategically positioned, ready to shoot.

“And seeing this, I sent a distress call to the Honorable Minister to come to the site for an on-the-spot assessment. And on getting there, that ugly incident happened, which I’m really sorry to the Honorable Minister, I apologize to the Honorable Minister, indeed to all Nigerians for what happened”.

The Director however emphasised that the enforcement was consistent with the laws governing urban development and land use in the FCT, including the FCT Act of 1976 and the Urban and Regional Planning Law of 1992.

The Director of Lands Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, while providing further context on the legal status of the land and why the development could not proceed, maintained that the claimants had no statutory title to the property.

He explained that they were relying on an 18-year-old letter of intent from the Department of Parks and Recreation, which merely allowed them to manage and operate a designated park site, but did not confer any legal right of occupancy or approval to build.

“The claimants have relied on a letter of intent issued by the Department of Parks and Recreation in 2007, 18 years ago, to develop, manage and operate a designated park site. Letter of intent, not statutory right of occupancy. I wish to make it clear that in the FCT, the only thing that gives you title to land is statutory right of occupancy. Letter of intent is not a title.

“Since having not submitted a detailed technical proposal, no lease agreement was given to him. He did not develop and complete development on the site within one year as he didn’t build anything by 2008.”

Nwankwoeze further stated that the letter of intent carried strict conditions, including submission of a detailed technical proposal within 21 days and completion of development within a year—none of which were met by the claimants.

He said; “All they did was after all of those papers were withdrawn, they moved into those sites and started building illegally. Beyond not having title, in Abuja you cannot build anything without approval of the plans you submitted. Because the Department of Development Control will look at your design proposal and certify and ascertain that what you propose to develop is in line with the dictates of the master plan”.

The officials stressed that their interventions were necessary to uphold the rule of law and proper urban planning, while also acknowledging the disruption caused to the Minister and the public perception of the incident.

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FG slashes interest rate on late tax payment

Published

10 minutes ago

September 28, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

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The Federal Government (FG) has reduced the penalty interest rate for late settlement of tax liabilities, with the new regime taking effect from October 1, 2026.

Under the new arrangement, interest on tax liabilities payable in naira will be pegged to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) plus one percentage point, down from the previous five-percentage-point penalty.

The measure is contained in the Nigeria Tax Administration (Interest on Late Payment of Tax) Order, 2026, issued yesterday by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, pursuant to Section 65 of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025.

According to the minister, the new Order will apply uniformly to taxpayers dealing with federal, state and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) tax authorities.

However, the applicable interest rate on naira-denominated tax liabilities will not fall below the yield on 364-day Treasury Bills, reflecting the Federal Government’s cost of borrowing when tax payments are delayed.

For tax liabilities payable in foreign currencies, interest will be charged at the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) plus six percentage points.

The Order further provides that where SOFR is discontinued, its officially designated successor rate will apply.

Explaining the rationale for the new regime, Oyedele said the objective was to align the cost of late tax payments more closely with prevailing market conditions while providing taxpayers with greater certainty about their obligations.

“Tax that is due belongs to the public. When it is paid late, Government may have to borrow to fill the gap, and the cost falls on everyone.

“This Order ties the cost of late payment to real market rates, so that delaying tax does not become a cheaper form of credit than the market itself,” he stated.

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APC wins all Chairmanship, Councillorship seats in Enugu

Published

15 hours ago

September 27, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won all chairmanship and Councillorship seats contested in the Sept. 26 Local Government Election in Enugu State.

The Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) conducted election into the 17 Chairmanship and 260 Ward Councillorship positions in the state on Saturday.

Declaring the election results at the ENSIEC headquarters in Enugu on Sunday, the Chairman of the Commission, Prof Christian Ngwu, said that the election was free and fair.

Ngwu said that the election was conducted according to rules guiding the Commission, and “subsequently, we are issuing the winners with certificate of returns.”

Speaking after collecting his certificate of return, Chairman of Enugu South Local Government Area, Chief Caleb Ani, attributed the landslide victory of the candidates of APC to the massive developmental works of Gov. Peter Mbah.

Ani urged the residents of the state to vote for Mbah en masse in the forthcoming 2027 General Election to continue the good works.

“Gov. Mbah has done well in all ramifications, this is partly while the APC candidates won overwhelmingly.

“I urge the people to vote for him, come 2027 General Elections so that he will continue with his good works and do more,” he said.

Reacting, the APC Chairman in Enugu State, Dr Martin Chukwunweike, said that the resounding victory at the polls indicated the dominance of the national ruling party, APC, in the state.

“We will not rest as we push the developmental efforts of President Bola Tinubu and our amiable governor, His Excellency Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, for the world to see.

“Tinubu, Mbah and all the APC candidates will be reelected in 2027 as they have performed exceptionally well in the past three years,” he said.

In the numerical figures of the results pronounced, APC chairmanship candidates won with margins while the opposition parties trailed behind with minimal votes.

For instance, in Udenu, Igbo-Eze North and Igbo-Eze South local Government Areas respectively, the APC chairmen elect secured virtually the whole votes cast.

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‘Where is Nigeria’s president?’, Peter Obi questions Tinubu’s absence from UNGA

Published

16 hours ago

September 27, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

Peter Obi and President Bola Tinubu

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Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has questioned the absence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, contrasting it with Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama’s participation in the global gathering.

Obi raised the question in a post on his Facebook page while commenting on Mahama’s address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, September 24, 2026.

Mahama attended the UNGA and delivered Ghana’s national statement, where he addressed issues including global governance, Africa’s representation in international institutions and Ghana’s economic recovery.

Obi described the Ghanaian president’s address as “remarkable,” saying it demonstrated what leadership could achieve when competence, capacity, compassion, commitment and character were brought together in the service of a nation.

He subsequently asked why the president of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, was not personally present at the gathering.

“Where is the President of Africa’s most populous nation, a country of more than 200 million people – more than Ghana – whose leader has been absent from the global stage for three consecutive UNGAs?” Obi asked.

The former Anambra State governor said Nigeria’s president ought to be representing the country and providing leadership for Africa at the international level, particularly at a time he said the country was facing significant domestic and international challenges.

Although Vice President Kashim Shettima is representing Nigeria at the 81st UNGA and leading the country’s delegation, Obi said his presence did not answer the question of the president’s absence.

“Although our Vice President, Kashim Shettima, was present, the question remains: Where is the President?” he wrote.

The Federal Government has said President Tinubu mandated Shettima to represent him at the UNGA and lead Nigeria’s delegation, with the Vice President authorised to deliver Nigeria’s national statement and participate in high-level meetings and bilateral engagements.

Shettima’s participation included meetings and engagements focused on Nigeria’s priorities and strengthening the country’s role in multilateral cooperation.

Obi, however, urged Nigerians to continue praying for the President’s return and for his leadership in addressing the challenges confronting the country.