SENATE PROBES ALLEGED FORCIBLE TAKEOVER OF UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA LAND BY FCT MINISTER

The Nigerian Senate is investigating the alleged forcible takeover of vast portions of land belonging to the University of Abuja by the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike. This follows a confirmation by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, which supported the earlier alarm raised by Senator Ireti Kingibe. ASUU President, Chris Piwuna, disclosed the details during a closed-door meeting with the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund.

Piwuna stated that the land in question was originally allocated for the university’s academic and agricultural development. He described the minister’s action as a direct threat to the institution’s future. “That land is crucial for research, expansion, and innovation. If the minister succeeds, he would be choking the future of education in the capital,” Piwuna told the committee. He warned that the FCT administration’s encroachment would stifle innovation and severely compromise the university’s long-term development plans.

The allegation first became public when Senator Ireti Kingibe revealed that Minister Wike had revoked 7,000 out of the 11,000 hectares of land allocated to the university, an action she stated was in violation of the Land Use Act. In response to the union’s complaint, the Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Mohammed Dandutse, pledged legislative intervention. “The Senate agrees to interface with the minister of the FCT to ensure that the University of Abuja’s land is not taken from them. We will study all the issues raised and take appropriate steps to ensure an amicable resolution,” Dandutse said. The Senate has vowed to engage with the minister to prevent the takeover.