Homeowners at Dr Sam Nujoma Estate in the Galadimawa area of Abuja have appealed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to intervene over alleged security threats, assault, and extortion by developer, El Salem Nigeria Limited.

In a complaint letter to the FCT Administration’s Legal Secretariat, the Chairman of the Residents Association, Mr Ifeanyi Echefu, said the homeowners legitimately purchased the land and built on it and are not tenants.

He alleged that officials of El Salem have refused to hand over management of the estate despite having no more land to sell, and have continued to instigate private guards to threaten and assault residents.

Echefu said the estate, on Plot 21 in Cadastral Zone C17, Industrial Area II, was originally allocated to the African University of Science and Technology in 2007. The university later entered into a sublease agreement with El Salem, which named the estate after Dr Sam Nujoma and brought in eight other developers without FCTA approval.

He added that the site was designated in the FCTA development plan as a students’ hostel and not for other purposes.

The chairman urged the minister to help put measures in place to enable homeowners to obtain their Rights of Occupancy and Certificates of Occupancy.

Confirming the development, FCTA Director of Investigation and Prosecution in the Legal Department, Joseph Eriki, in a letter of response to the Nigeria Police Force CID, advised the police to arrest officials of El Salem and anyone claiming approval for purposes other than education. He also accused the university of unilaterally changing the land use without government consent.

On the sublease and resulting criminal activities, Country Director of the African University of Science and Technology, Mr Adekoya Seyi, said discussions were ongoing to resolve the matter.

“We are not unaware of the issues. Discussions are ongoing and will soon be resolved. However, I am not going to yield to the demands of the FCTA Legal Department Director,” Seyi said.

Efforts to get a response from El Salem Nigeria Limited Executive Director, Mr Michael Onyebuchi, were unsuccessful as he did not answer or return calls. (Nigerian Tribune)