Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has threatened to revoke the land titles of hotels, event centres and other public facilities used for meetings by what the Federal Capital Territory Administration described as illegal organisations in Abuja.
The warning was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka.
According to the statement, the FCTA said owners of public facilities must stop allowing groups capable of disrupting peace and security in the capital city to use their premises for gatherings and political activities.
The administration said land allocations within the FCT were meant strictly for lawful purposes, warning that any property linked to illegal activities risked losing its title documents.
“In view of the need to further ensure the security of lives and properties in the FCT and sustain the efforts of security agencies in this regard, usage of Event Centres, Hotels and other public buildings will now be closely monitored,” the statement said.
The FCTA explained that the move forms part of ongoing measures to support security agencies and protect residents of the territory.
It added that owners and operators of event centres, hotels and similar facilities must verify the legality of organisations seeking to book their venues and maintain proper records of all transactions.
The administration also directed operators to deal only with leaderships of political parties officially recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission during the current political season.
“For instance, in this political season, owners of Event Centres and Hotels in particular must ensure that they only deal with INEC recognised leadership of political parties in respect of the use of their facilities, and proper records of transactions must be kept,” the statement added.
The FCTA warned that any failure to comply with the directive could lead to revocation of affected property titles.
