The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has put an end to the ownership controversy surrounding River Park Estate in Lugbe, Abuja, declaring JonahCapital Nigeria Limited as the legitimate developer.
Wike explained that the land dispute dates back to the era of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, when the FCT Administration allocated Plot 4, Cadastral Zone E30 Lugbe, to JonahCapital, a company promoted by Ghanaian business magnate Sir Samuel Esson Jonah.
According to the minister, trouble started when JonahCapital engaged Paulo Homes to secure building approvals from Development Control an arrangement that breached the original lease agreement. “The FCT has no contract with Paulo Homes. The only agreement was with JonahCapital,” Wike stressed, referencing the findings of a ministerial panel chaired by the FCT’s General Counsel.
He noted that although JonahCapital’s lease eventually expired, Paulo Homes never had any legal claim to the property. Consequently, the administration moved to demolish illegal structures tied to Paulo Homes, withdraw Certificates of Occupancy issued through the firm, and prepare fresh titles to be given directly to homeowners.
On the enforcement actions recently carried out at the estate, Wike said the steps were necessary to resolve ownership disputes and eliminate irregularities in land administration. He also condemned the activities of the Police Monitoring Unit, led by CP Akin Fakorede, and the role of former Force PRO Muyiwa Adejobi, who publicly attributed the estate’s ownership to Paulo Homes despite having no legal basis.
