Wike vows to seal buildings of ground rent defaulters

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has insisted that he will seal up the properties of defaulting property owners, who have not paid their ground rents.

The minister stated this during his monthly media chat in Abuja on Monday.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu had given a two-week ultimatum to defaulters of the payment of ground rent, within which to pay the ground rent, after the administration began sealing the properties of defaulters on the May 26 2025.

Speaking during the media parley, Wike stated, “You should know what I’m going to do next. I thank God the President said two weeks; we are at more than three months.

“That is Nigeria for you. We have just finished a programme of commissioning projects. Very soon, we are going to seal up all those properties. I am going to seal it up.”

The minister also lamented the failure of some of the defaulters to pay up the debts, despite the President’s period of grace, noting that without recovery of the monies, the administration could not carry out infrastructure developments.

“You can’t deny us the taxes we will use for development. You’re talking about the health sector now; you’re talking about education. What have we done in other sectors? With what? You want this. Pay us the taxes that you should pay, but you said no.

“We have listened to Mr President in his wisdom; give them two weeks, give them one month, we have done that. Some have complied, some have refused to comply.

“Tomorrow, by the time you start doing this, of course, the normal politics will come up. I will not listen to that.

“Bear it in mind, I won’t do it. If you have not complied, if you have not paid, we are going to seal it up. There’s no magic of talking long, talking this, you can blackmail as you want, you can go to Arise, stay there for how many hours, we are going to carry it out,” he stated.