The Senior Special Assistant on Strategic Communications to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lere Olayinka, has clarified that any Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) revoked by the FCT Administration automatically results in the affected land reverting to the minister, who holds it in trust on behalf of the President.
Olayinka made this known during an interview with Arise News on Monday night, amid growing public concern over the ongoing mass revocation of property titles across Abuja. According to him, the legal framework guiding land administration in the Federal Capital Territory vests all lands in the President, with the minister serving as the trustee empowered to manage allocations and withdrawals as necessary for public interest.
He confirmed that more than 1,000 property titles are affected in the latest round of revocations, noting that the exercise is part of efforts to restore order, reclaim abandoned or illegally acquired plots, and ensure proper development of the city. Olayinka added that many of the affected properties fall under categories such as abandoned lands, undeveloped plots that have exceeded their statutory development period, or titles obtained without due process.
He assured residents that the FCT Administration is acting strictly within the law and in line with Abuja’s master plan, urging property owners to cooperate and ensure compliance with land administration regulations.
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