The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has invited Chijioke Nwankwoeze, the Director of Lands in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to appear before it on Thursday over a petition bordering on corrupt practices and gross abuse of office.

This is coming as some residents are accusing the FCT Minister of allegedly grabbing people’s lands and relocating them to his cronies.

This allegation the minister has denied, calling on anyone with proof of land grabbing against him or his administration to come forward.

Chooks Oko, the Senior Legislative Aide to the Speaker/Head, Media, in a statement, said the invitation was based on a petition by the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency to the House, alleging that Nwankwoeze owns and runs several private offices, involved in land racketeering, money laundering and false declaration of assets.

Relying on Sections 88 and 89 of the constitution of the country, the committee warned that should the respondent fail to appear in person, the committee will go ahead with the hearing.

“Ours is to give every Nigerian right to fair hearing, whether you are the petitioner or the respondent. We strive to give justice to those deserving of it based on facts presented to the committee”, Mike Etaba, chairman of the committee, said.

Accusations against the minister

Some property owners had accused the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, of seizing their property and allocating same to his cronies.

Some of the residents accused the FCT Administration of hurriedly publishing their plots in the newspapers and giving them two weeks’ notice or risk revocation.

One of them, a rights activist, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, alleged the revocation of the ownership of a property belonging to her late husband, Col. Paul Ogbebor (rtd), in Abuja, pleading with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call the minister to order.

Lori-Ogbebor said the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) had issued a notice to quit on November 22, 2024, and went ahead to reallocate the property on December 9.

She added that her findings at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) indicated that the estate was reallocated to a company that has a three-time member of the House of Representatives, as director.

Lori-Ogbebor said a Certificate of Ownership was issued three weeks after the notice was issued to the management of the estate.

She said it was unjust to revoke the property, which was rightly acquired by her late husband, who she said fought for the unity of the country and whose company, Paulosa, was among the leading firms that constructed prominent infrastructure in the FCT. (Daily Trust)