Paying ground rent or face property confiscation – Wike warns judges and justices.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, urged judges and justices in Abuja to pay their ground rent on Monday.

Wike warned that failure to pay could lead to the confiscation of their properties, which would then be transferred to those who can afford the rent.

The admonition came during the commissioning of the newly constructed Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, Building, an event marking President Bola Tinubu’s third anniversary in office.

President Tinubu was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima on the fourth day of the commissioning.

According to Wike, “Development means funding and you can’t have development when there are no funds. All of us are happy and clapping hands but have you asked yourself a question, have you played your own role as expected of good citizens?”

The Minister called on judicial leaders to inquire about how his administration secures funding for projects that benefit them.

“How many of us here have paid our ground rent and tenement rent, so it’s not enough to clap that we are happy, ask where did we get the money from?” he said.

“I have seen all the justices smiling, so if you know that you have not paid your ground rent, consider that the land will no longer belong to you, we will give it to those who can pay us ground rent to build public infrastructure,” he added.

Wike also expressed gratitude for President Tinubu’s support of his administration.

He said, “Your Excellency, I’m very happy with your support to the FCT and we are here to commission this edifice. We are not just commissioning this edifice, we are also completing the project we started for the justices and judges of the various courts.”

“Your Excellency, as I have always said in 2024, when we celebrated the first anniversary of Mr President and we took out nine days for the commissioning of projects for Mr President in office, in 2025, we took out 19 days, and to the glory of God, we are taking 30 days for the commissioning of projects.”

“One thing like the Attorney General has said is the independence of the judiciary and it is the belief of Mr President that you can’t talk about the independence of the Judiciary when the judges don’t have a befitting environment where they can carry out their functions.”

“I’m sure that by the time His Excellency unveils this complex today, he will see that there is a total difference that is built with modern technologies and we will not have any problems.”