Buhari Responds to Reports of Foundation Land Revocation Ordered by Wike

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has addressed the recent revocation of a plot of land linked to the Muhammadu Buhari Foundation in Abuja. Through a statement released by his media aide, Garba Shehu, Buhari clarified that he is not the owner of the disputed land, which was allocated in the Foundation’s name.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), under Minister Nyesom Wike, recently revoked 763 plots of land, including one in the Maitama District associated with the Muhammadu Buhari Foundation. The FCTA also issued a two-week deadline for 614 other plot owners to settle outstanding bills for their Rights of Occupancy or face revocation.

The Muhammadu Buhari Foundation’s plot, identified as number 4873, reportedly has an outstanding payment of N1.23 billion. Garba Shehu explained that the Foundation was lawfully established by individuals close to the former president and supported by well-meaning persons. However, the project encountered significant challenges when the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) issued an unusually high bill for the Certificate of Occupancy, far exceeding those given to similar organizations.

Shehu suggested that this inflated billing might not have been an error but a deliberate move, making the subsequent land revocation unsurprising. He emphasized that the former president himself does not own the Foundation’s plot or have any direct involvement in its operations.

Clarifying further, Shehu noted that Buhari owns a personal plot of land in Abuja. During his presidency, when government officials were invited to apply for additional land, Buhari declined, stating that he already owned a plot in the Federal Capital Territory and that allocations should go to those without land.

Shehu urged the public to verify facts before drawing conclusions or linking the former president directly to the land revocation. He reiterated that Buhari’s name should not be unfairly tarnished over the matter.