The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has approved the nullification and cancellation of 485 land documents submitted by applicants for regularisation, following a comprehensive verification exercise that revealed widespread forgery and failure to meet authenticity standards.
The decision, announced through a public notice issued by the FCT Administration's Departments of Land Administration and the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) on February 23, 2026, targets applications from Area Councils that could not pass official checks for genuineness. The affected documents have been expunged from the regularisation database, rendering them invalid for further processing or recognition.
The public notice, published by outlets including Premium Times, Naija News, Politics Nigeria, and Nigerian Eye, stated: “This is to inform the general public, particularly applicants who submitted Area Council land documents for regularisation, that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory has approved the nullification or cancellation of applications that failed the necessary official checks for genuineness and have been confirmed to be fake.”
It added that the action is without prejudice to further notices or publications, with the affected files described as Batch 1 of unsuccessful applications. Holders of the invalidated documents were urged to take note and be guided accordingly.
The verification process stemmed from an earlier directive by the FCTA in 2025, requiring landholders with Area Council-issued documents to submit them for scrutiny and potential regularisation into formal titles. This initiative aimed to address long-standing issues in FCT land administration, including forged titles, double allocations, unapproved grants, fake signatures, manipulated survey plans, and syndicates involved in fraudulent land sales.
Officials explained that the cancellations reflect Minister Wike's determination to sanitise the system and curb fraudulent practices that have plagued Abuja's land sector for years. Under Nigerian law, all land in the FCT is vested in the Federal Government, with legitimate titles such as Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) issued exclusively through the FCT Minister's office and processed via AGIS. Area Councils lack authority to grant binding titles without federal oversight, making many such allocations vulnerable to invalidation during verification.
The nullified documents span multiple Area Councils and layouts, including:
Bwari Area Council: Ushafa Village Expansion Scheme, Ushafa Extension, and Dawaki Extension 1.
Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC): Kurudu-Jikwoyi Relocation, Kurudu Commercial, Karu Village Extension, Nyanya Phase IV Extension, Jikwoyi Residential, Sabon Lugbe, and Lugbe I Extension.
Kuje Area Council: Kuchiyako One layout.
These areas, often involving relocation schemes, extensions, and residential/commercial developments, have been hotspots for irregular allocations in the past.
The move aligns with Wike's broader reforms since assuming office, which have included aggressive crackdowns on land fraud, revocations for non-payment of ground rents or development fees, and efforts to streamline title issuance. In late 2025, similar actions saw over 1,000 titles revoked for outstanding charges, with revoked lands reverting to the minister in trust for the President. The latest nullifications specifically target confirmed fakes, distinguishing them from non-compliance cases.
Land administration challenges in the FCT have persisted due to rapid urbanisation, high demand for property, and historical overlaps between federal and local processes. Fraudsters have exploited gaps by producing convincing forgeries, sometimes using cloned C of O numbers absent from AGIS databases or forged ministerial signatures. Experts advise prospective buyers to always verify documents directly with AGIS or the FCT Land Registry to avoid scams.
The FCTA's public notice serves as a warning to applicants and the general public, reinforcing zero tolerance for fraud. Authorities have indicated that this is the first batch, suggesting potential additional cancellations if further verifications uncover irregularities.
The action has been welcomed by some observers as a step toward transparency and rule of law in land governance, though it may affect individuals who unknowingly acquired disputed documents. Affected parties are expected to seek clarification from AGIS or the Department of Land Administration, though no appeals process has been detailed in the notice.
This development underscores ongoing efforts to restore credibility to Abuja's land system amid Nigeria's broader push for efficient public administration and anti-corruption measures.
