Follow Up: Wike Finally Breaks Silence, Denies Allocating 2,082 Hectares of Land to Son in Abuja
By: Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has denied reports alleging that he allocated over 2,000 hectares of prime land in Abuja to his son, describing the claims as “malicious falsehoods” intended to tarnish his reputation.
OTN News further reports that this rebuttal follows a viral report alleging that Wike allocated 2,082 hectares of land in the highbrow Maitama and Asokoro districts of Abuja to one of his sons.
OTN News had earlier reported that the Peoples Gazette reported that they conducted an exclusive investigation which made them discovered that Wike bypassed regulations, ignored constitutional protocols, and manipulated his ministerial authority by allocating over 2,000 hectares of land to his son at the nation’s expense.
However, reacting to this report which had circulated online, the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, issued a statement on Thursday dismissing the report as baseless and a product of irresponsible journalism.
Olayinka declared, “Not even a single plot of land has been allocated to any of the Minister’s children." describing the publication as “another falsehood from the vault of those whose main job is to malign the FCT Minister.”
Olayinka questioned the feasibility of such a claim, noting that acquiring such an expanse of land in Maitama and Asokoro, two of Abuja’s most developed districts, is practically impossible.
“Only quack journalists will go to town with the story of allocation of 2,082 hectares of land in Asokoro and Maitama. This is why some of us have continually advocated for professionalism in journalism,” he said.
According to the statement, the only land allocation referenced in the report involves a company named JOAQ Farms and Estate Limited, which was legally granted land in the Bwari Area Council strictly for agricultural purposes.
The spokesperson stressed that the company is duly registered in Nigeria and that the allocation is in line with lawful procedures.
“For the avoidance of doubt, JOAQ Farms and Estate Limited got land allocation in Bwari Area Council for the purpose of farming. So what is wrong with a farmer getting land allocation strictly for the purpose of agriculture?” the statement read.
Olayinka emphasized that while the Minister and his family members have the right to own land anywhere in Nigeria, no such allocation has been made to any of Wike’s children.
He also challenged the publishers of the report to produce any documentary evidence linking Wike’s children to the alleged land allocations, labeling the report as one motivated by “malice and bitterness.”
The statement read; “My attention has been drawn to yet, another malicious falsehood coming from the same elements whose job is to defame and malign the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
“Even though it is the right of the Minister and members of his family, both immediate and extended to own lands anywhere in Nigeria, including the FCT, provided all necessary conditions are met, no land has been allocated to any of his children.
“In the publication, a Right of Occupancy (R-of-O) issued to JOAQ Farms and Estate Limited, for Agricultural purpose was the only evidence used to justify the claim.
“For the avoidance of doubt, JOAQ Farms and Estate Limited, a company duly registered in Nigeria got land allocation in Bwari Area Council for the purpose of farming.
“So what’s is wrong with a farmer getting land allocation strictly for the purpose of agriculture?
“Therefore, the publication, claiming that the FCT Minister allocated 2,082 hectares of land to his son, is false and should be disregarded.”
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