By Our Reporter
The Federal Housing Authority has strongly dismissed allegations of land grabbing, extortion, and administrative high-handedness levelled against its management, describing the claims as “erroneous, misleading, and malicious.”
The allegations were made by a coalition of estate developers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who had petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly, calling for a probe into the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FHA, Oyetunde Ojo.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Head of Public Affairs, Kenneth Chigelu, the Authority rejected the claims, describing them as “spurious, quixotic, and irresponsible journalism” allegedly amplified by some media outlets including ThisDay, Leadership Newspaper, and Daily Nigerian.
The FHA alleged that the so-called coalition of developers are “faceless” individuals benefiting from illegal land allocations in the past, insisting that many of them are “professional land grabbers” affected by ongoing reforms within the Authority.
According to the statement, FHA maintained that since the introduction of its digitalisation programme on May 1, 2024, the agency has eliminated issues such as missing property files, double allocations, and document forgery, thereby improving transparency and service delivery.
The Authority further stated that it has deployed modern monitoring tools, including drones, to properly map and secure its landed assets nationwide. It also referenced a Verification, Regularisation and Ratification (VRR) exercise introduced to allow genuine allottees to correct documentation while identifying illegal occupiers.
FHA argued that the backlash stems from resistance to reforms that have tightened controls on land administration and reduced opportunities for alleged irregular practices.
It also maintained that its approval processes have improved significantly through a One-Stop Shop system, which it said allows development approvals within two weeks where documentation is complete.
Chigelu accused the petitioners of attempting to use media narratives to undermine ongoing reforms, adding that the Authority remains committed to protecting public assets and ensuring accountability in land administration.
The FHA urged the public to disregard what it described as “blackmail campaigns,” insisting that there would be no hiding place for individuals found to have illegally encroached on government land.
The Authority reaffirmed its resolve to continue its reform agenda aimed at repositioning FHA for improved housing delivery across Nigeria.
