By BONIFACE AKARAH

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate dissolution of the Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC) on the Alienation of Federal Government Properties, ending the operations of the committee established to oversee the privatisation, sale and lease of Federal Government landed assets under the government's monetisation policy.

The decision was announced in a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said all matters relating to the activities of the committee would henceforth be coordinated by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.

According to the statement, "President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) has approved the immediate dissolution of the Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC) on the Alienation of Federal Government Properties."

It added that "Henceforth, all matters relating to the activities of the Committee will be coordinated by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (HAGF)."

The Presidency recalled that the PIC was established in 2000 during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to oversee the privatisation, sale and lease of Federal Government landed assets under the government's monetisation policy.

It said the committee comprised the then Minister of Housing as chairperson, alongside representatives of the Ministries of Transportation, Justice, Health, Agriculture and the Nigeria Police Force, while Professor P.T. Ahire, then a Deputy Director in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, served as its pioneer secretary. Other members were drawn from both the public and private sectors.

The statement also noted that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on March 22, 2001 approved the establishment of a Panel of Inquiry to produce a White Paper to guide the implementation of its recommendations, adding that the panel worked for 21 months before submitting its report.

Explaining the rationale behind the decision, the Presidency said, "After careful consideration, the Government has noted that the activities of the PIC had extended beyond its original mandate, resulting in multiple litigations across the country, and the continued existence of the Committee is no longer justified."

It further stated that "Accordingly, the President directed the dissolution of the PIC and that the Attorney General of the Federation coordinate its activities with effect from November 5, 2025."

The Presidency said the dissolution takes immediate effect and directed the committee's former secretary to stop acting on its behalf.

The statement said, "Following the President's directive, the PIC stands dissolved, and the erstwhile Secretary, B. S. Dutsin-Ma, is hereby further directed to cease acting on behalf of the committee and the Federal Government on related matters."

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