By Stanley Onyekwere
Residents and property owners at the Dr. Sam Nujoma Estate in the Galadimawa district of Abuja have sent an urgent appeal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to intervene in an escalating crisis involving alleged land racketeering, extortion, and physical assault by a private developer.
In a formal complaint routed to the FCT Administration’s (FCTA) Legal Secretariat, the Chairman of the Estate Homeowners Association, Echefu Ifeanyi, disclosed that residents are living under constant security threats orchestrated by the developer, El Salem Nigeria Limited.
Ifeanyi clarified that the homeowners legitimately purchased their land and built their properties, emphasizing that they are lawful owners and not tenants.
He alleged that despite having no remaining land to sell within the estate, officials of El Salem have vehemently refused to hand over estate management to the residents, instead deploying private guards to intimidate, threaten, and assault homeowners.
Unpacking the genesis of the crisis, Ifeanyi revealed that the land—located on Plot 21, Cadastral Zone C17, Industrial Area II—was originally allocated by the government to the African University of Science and Technology (AUST) in 2007.
However, the university allegedly violated FCTA regulations by entering into a sublease agreement with El Salem Nigeria Limited.
The developer subsequently named the site “Dr. Sam Nujoma Estate” and illegally brought in eight other sub-developers to construct residential buildings, completely bypassing FCTA approval.
Crucially, the site was strictly designated in the master masterplan as a students’ hostel. Also, the purported unauthorized conversion from educational to residential use has left homeowners without legal title documents.
Consequently, the Chairman urged Minister Wike to intervene so that legitimate buyers can obtain their individual Rights of Occupancy (R-of-O) and Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O).
Confirming the gravity of the infraction, the FCTA Director of Investigation and Prosecution in the Legal Department, Joseph Eriki, has stepped into the matter.
In an official response letter addressed to the Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Eriki indicted the university for unilaterally altering land use without government consent.
He urged the police to arrest officials of El Salem Nigeria Limited and any other individuals claiming or enforcement development approvals for purposes outside the original educational mandate.
When confronted with the FCTA’s directives and the ongoing criminal allegations, the Country Director of the African University of Science and Technology, Mr. Adekoya Seyi, acknowledged the crisis but struck a defiant tone regarding the government’s legal stance.
”We are not unaware of the issues. Discussions are ongoing and will soon be resolved. However, I am not going to yield to the demands of the FCTA Legal Department Director,” Seyi stated.
Meanwhile, efforts to obtain a reaction from El Salem Nigeria Limited proved abortive.
Also, the company’s Executive Director, Mr. Michael Onyebuchi, did not answer phone calls or respond to messages at the time of filing this report.
