Land racketeering: FCT director fails to appear before reps panel

The Director of Lands in the Federal Capital Territory, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, on Thursday failed to appear before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions over allegations of land racketeering.

Daily Trust reports that the committee had invited Nwankwoeze to appear before it on Thursday over a petition bordering on corrupt practices and gross abuse of office.

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.

The committee had in its invitation notice while relying on sections 88 and 89 of the constitution of the country, warned that should the respondent fail to appear in person, the committee will go ahead with the hearing.

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“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, had said.

But at the hearing on Thursday, when the case was called, the FCT Director of Lands who is the respondent in the matter and the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency, the petitioner, were both absent.

The absence of the parties forced the chairman of the committee, Michael Etaba to adjourn the hearing until March 18.

Daily Trust reports that the petition is coming at a time some residents are accusing the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, of allegedly grabbing people’s lands and relocating them to his cronies.

Wike has denied such allegations, calling on anyone with proof of land grabbing against him or his administration to come forward.

Some property owners had accused Wike of seizing their property and allocating the 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.