The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed his discontent regarding land-grabbing and the prevalence of undeveloped lands in Abuja. During an inspection of ongoing projects in preparation for the second anniversary of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, Wike specifically highlighted the extensive land acquisition by the University of Abuja for its permanent site, most of which remains undeveloped.
Wike described the situation as “unacceptable,” questioning the necessity of a university acquiring over 1,000 hectares of land without corresponding development. He emphasized that no institution or individual should monopolize large areas of land at the expense of local development.
He noted that claims of acquiring land for future development often translate into mere land-grabbing, with institutions leasing out the land instead of utilizing it for educational purposes. “What makes a university is not the large expanse of land; what makes a university are the infrastructure and the quality of training,” Wike stated.
He called for a shift in mindset regarding land acquisition, stressing that merely holding land without developing it does not benefit the community or the institutions involved
