Tension is mounting around 12 Crescent in the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Estate, Apo/Guzape District of Abuja, following the alleged illegal activities of land grabbers in the area.
The disputed land, which is currently a subject of litigation, has become a flashpoint as alleged encroachers reportedly backed by a prominent politician—believed to be acting on behalf of a senior government official—continue construction activities in defiance of a pending court case.
According to documents obtained by our correspondent, the contested area was duly acquired by the FHA from the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), and plots were officially allocated to various allottees in 2022. The FHA had begun preliminary works to open up access roads when the controversy erupted.
The conflict took a new turn in early 2024 when a company, NIMAO Nigeria Limited—registered in Yola and allegedly linked to Senator Mao Ohabunwa—forcefully encroached on the FHA land. In response, the Federal Housing Authority filed a suit (No: FCT/HC/CV/290/2025) at the Federal Capital Territory High Court to challenge the development.
Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, sources revealed that the developer has begun selling the plots to unsuspecting buyers at a staggering N250 million per plot and has deployed private security personnel to facilitate construction.
An FHA allottee who spoke anonymously disclosed that all attempts to access their duly allocated land have been rebuffed by the developer, who claims to have a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) purportedly signed in 2024 by the current Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
Describing the development as “daylight robbery,” the allottees said they are united in their resolve to resist what they termed a flagrant abuse of power and disregard for the rule of law.
An FHA official who also requested anonymity confirmed that the Authority is monitoring the situation closely and will take all lawful steps to reclaim its land. He added that a search at the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) confirmed the land in question still belongs to the FHA, with no record of revocation.
“It’s suspicious that a new C of O could have been issued in 2024 on land already allocated and not revoked. Something is definitely wrong,” the official said.
The allottees are calling on the Federal Housing Authority to safeguard their investment and urging the federal government to investigate what they described as criminal trespass and abuse of court processes by NIMAO Nigeria Limited and its alleged sponsors.
A visit to the site revealed heavy security presence guarding ongoing construction and reportedly intimidating genuine FHA allottees, despite the matter being sub judice.
