Homeowners at Dr Sam Nujoma Estate in the Galadimawa area of Abuja have appealed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to intervene in what they described as persistent security threats, alleged assault, and extortion by the estate developer, El Salem Nigeria Limited.
In a petition submitted to the Legal Secretariat of the FCT Administration (FCTA), the Chairman of the Residents Association, Mr. Ifeanyi Echefu, stated that homeowners legally purchased their plots and developed their properties, stressing that they are property owners and not tenants.
According to Echefu, officials of El Salem Nigeria Limited have allegedly refused to relinquish control of the estate despite having exhausted available land for sale. He further accused the company of using private security personnel to intimidate, harass, and assault residents.
Dispute Over Estate Ownership and Management
Echefu explained that the estate is situated on Plot 21, Cadastral Zone C17, Industrial Area II, Abuja. He noted that the land was originally allocated to the African University of Science and Technology (AUST) in 2007 before a sublease arrangement was entered into with El Salem Nigeria Limited.
He alleged that El Salem subsequently renamed the development as Dr Sam Nujoma Estate and engaged eight additional developers without obtaining the required approval from the FCTA.
The residents’ association further claimed that the land was designated in the FCTA development plan for student hostel accommodation and not for residential estate development.
Residents Seek Land Titles and Government Intervention
The homeowners urged the FCT Minister to facilitate the issuance of Rights of Occupancy (R-of-O) and Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O) to legitimate property owners within the estate.
They also called for urgent government intervention to resolve the lingering dispute and ensure the safety and security of residents.
FCTA Advises Police Action
In a related development, the Director of Investigation and Prosecution in the FCTA Legal Department, Joseph Eriki, reportedly advised the Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to arrest officials of El Salem Nigeria Limited and any individual claiming approval for land use outside its original educational purpose.
Eriki also accused the African University of Science and Technology of altering the approved land use without obtaining government authorization.
AUST Reacts
Responding to the controversy, the Country Director of the African University of Science and Technology, Mr. Adekoya Seyi, acknowledged the dispute and said efforts were underway to resolve the matter.
“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,” he said.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Executive Director of El Salem Nigeria Limited, Mr. Michael Onyebuchi, were unsuccessful as calls and messages sent to him were not returned at the time of filing this report.
