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FCTA TO TAKE POSSESSION OF 4,794 PROPERTIES REVOKED OVER NON-PAYMENT OF GROUND RENT

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will begin taking possession of 4,794 properties revoked over non-payment of Ground Rent for between 10 and 43 years, starting Monday, May 26, 2025. The properties are located in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape districts. According to the FCT Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, ownership of the revoked properties has already reverted to the FCTA. “As from Monday, next week, the government will begin to exercise its rights of ownership on the affected landed properties. This will be done without consideration as to ownership of the affected landed properties. It will be purely in line with extant laws and regulations guiding the process,” Olayinka stated. The Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, explained that affected properties will be sealed up and access to them restricted as from Monday. “The FCTA will decide what to do with the affected properties in due course,” Galadima added. The Director of Lands, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, disclosed that the FCTA was already compiling records of compliance and non-compliance of title holders that were in default of payment of Ground Rent for between one and ten years, who were given a 21-day grace period to pay up. “The government will act accordingly as soon as the records are fully compiled and analyzed,” Nwankwoeze said. The FCTA had revoked the land titles in March 2025 due to non-payment of Ground Rent, which contravened the terms and conditions of grant of the Rights of Occupancy. A total of N6,967,980,119 was owed as Ground Rent by 8,375 property owners. The affected properties will be taken over by the FCTA, and the administration will exercise its lawful rights of ownership.

SUPREME COURT REVOKES FRED AJUDUA’S BAIL, ORDERS REMAND IN PRISON

The Supreme Court has directed that Lagos socialite Fred Ajudua be taken back to prison custody preparatory to the resumption of his trial in relation to a $1,043,000 fraud case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In a unanimous judgment delivered on Friday, a five-member panel of the apex court revoked the bail granted to Ajudua by the Court of Appeal in Lagos in a judgment delivered on December 10, 2018. Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, in the lead judgment, held that the Court of Appeal had no jurisdiction to grant the bail it granted Ajudua in the December 10, 2018 judgment, having found incompetent the brief of argument filed in Ajudua’s appeal against a July 5, 2018 ruling by Justice Mojisola Dada of the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja, rejecting his request for pre-trial bail. “It is crystal clear that the lower court was on all fours with the law when it declared the appellant’s brief of argument incompetent and struck it out. At that point, the appellant’s (Ajudua’s) appeal was extinguished. There was, therefore, nothing more to consider in that appeal. The lower court, at that point, had no jurisdiction to proceed further. It had become functus officio,” Justice Nwosu-Iheme said. The Supreme Court held that the action of the lower court in proceeding to consider the arguments canvassed in the brief of argument it earlier found to be incompetent was an exercise in futility and a complete nullity. “This appeal succeeds and it is hereby allowed. The decision of the trial court dated the 5th day of July 2018 refusing bail to the respondent (Ajudua) is hereby restored. The respondent is to be remanded in prison custody. Accordingly, this case is remitted back to the Chief Judge of Lagos State to be assigned to the same trial judge, M. A. Dada J for the continuation of speedy trial and determination within the shortest possible time,” Justice Nwosu-Iheme said. Ajudua is facing trial over allegations of obtaining $1,043,000 by false pretenses from a Palestinian, Ziad Abu Zalaf, who was then based in Germany. The EFCC alleged that Ajudua conspired with one Joseph Ochunor, who is still at large, to obtain money by false pretenses from Zalaf of Technical International Ltd., a division of Mystic Company Ltd., a German-based company.

US GOVERNMENT REVOKES VISAS OF 40 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OVER MINOR TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS

In a surprising move, the US government has revoked the visas of 40 international students, leaving many shocked, anxious, and uncertain about their futures. The affected students, spread across over 50 universities, including Stanford, UCLA, Ohio State, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, report similar experiences: minor traffic violations, such as tickets or court appearances, led to their SEVIS records being terminated. One such student, Lisa from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was just weeks away from graduation when she received the email notifying her of her status change. “Initially thinking it was a mistake, I soon learned through online forums that many others were in the same situation,” she said. Although her offense was minor and involved no criminal conviction, the termination notice referred to a “criminal record.” Experts believe this action may be tied to broader immigration enforcement efforts under Donald Trump’s administration, especially following recent remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The sudden revocation of visas has left students scrambling to understand their rights and next steps. Students facing visa termination typically have only 15 days to leave the country or face deportation or future reentry bans. Many are now seeking advice from university officials, immigration lawyers, and advocacy groups to explore their options. The situation has sparked concerns about the impact on international students and the broader implications for US immigration policy. As the affected students navigate this uncertain situation, many are left wondering about their futures and the reasons behind the sudden revocation of their visas. The US government’s decision has raised questions about the fairness and consistency of immigration enforcement, particularly in cases involving minor infractions.

FCT MINISTER REVOKES 4,794 LAND TITLES OVER NON-PAYMENT OF GROUND RENT

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has approved the revocation of 4,794 land titles due to non-payment of Ground Rent for over 40 years. This decision affects property owners in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape districts. In a statement, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister, Lere Olayinka, explained that the FCTA made numerous publications in national newspapers and announcements on broadcast media since 2023, calling on defaulters to pay up all outstanding bills and ground rents. However, these efforts yielded little response, as several allottees failed to pay. Olayinka emphasized that payment of Ground Rent on landed properties in the FCT is founded on extant legislation. The affected districts include Central Area District (Cadastral Zone A00), Garki I (Cadastral Zone A01), Wuse I (Cadastral Zone A02), Garki II (Cadastral Zone A03), Asokoro (Cadastral Zone A04), Maitama (Cadastral Zone A05), Maitama (Cadastral Zone A06), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A07), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A08), and Guzape (Cadastral Zone A09). As of the end of 2024, a total of N6,967,980,119 is owed as Ground Rent by 8,375 property owners. Lere Olayinka stated that 4,794 land titles are in default of Ground rent payment for 10 years and above, which is in contravention of the terms and conditions of grant of the Rights of Occupancy. Consequently, the titles of the properties in default of payment of Ground Rent for 10 years and above have been revoked forthwith. Olayinka added that a 21-day grace period is given to title holders who are in default of payment of Ground Rent for between one and ten years, after which the affected titles will be revoked. This move is aimed at enforcing compliance with the payment of Ground Rent in the FCT.

TRUMP REVOKES BIDEN’S SECURITY CLEARANCE, ACCESS TO INTELLIGENCE BRIEFINGS

US President Donald Trump has revoked the security clearance and access to daily intelligence briefings of his predecessor, Joe Biden. Trump justified his decision, saying “there is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information.” He also added, “JOE, YOU’RE FIRED,” referencing his catchphrase from the reality TV show, The Apprentice. Trump claimed that Biden “set this precedent” in 2021 when he instructed the Intelligence Community to stop Trump from accessing national security information. Trump also cited a justice department inquiry into Biden’s storage of classified files, which concluded that Biden had a poor memory. Biden had previously stopped Trump from receiving classified intelligence briefings in 2021, citing Trump’s “erratic behavior.” Trump has since taken steps to revoke the security clearances and protections of other top officials linked to the Biden administration. Among those affected are former top US military commander Mark Milley, former chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci, and dozens of former intelligence officials. Trump has also ended security protection for his own former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former National Security Adviser John Bolton.