Wike Vows to Seal Properties of Ground Rent Defaulters: “No More Excuses

"You should know what I’m going to do next. I thank God the President said two weeks; we are now at more than three months,” the minister said. “Very soon, we are going to seal up all those properties. I am going to seal them.”

President Bola Tinubu had earlier issued a two-week deadline in May 2025 for property owners in the FCT to settle outstanding ground rents, following the administration’s decision to begin sealing defaulting properties on May 26.

Despite that directive and additional leniency from the FCT Administration, Wike lamented that many defaulters remain non-compliant.

"We have listened to Mr President in his wisdom give them two weeks, one month we’ve done that. Some have complied, but many have refused,” Wike said.

He dismissed political backlash and media campaigns against the planned enforcement, insisting that no amount of pressure or blackmail would change the administration’s course of action.

"You can go to Arise, stay there for hours. It doesn’t matter. If you haven’t paid, we will seal it up. That’s the decision. No more talking, no more excuses.”

The minister also emphasized that unpaid taxes, including ground rents, hinder critical infrastructure development across the FCT, especially in sectors like healthcare and education.

"You want good health care, you want quality education, but you don’t want to pay your taxes? How do we develop? We can’t perform magic,” he said.

Wike assured residents that the administration would not be swayed by political noise or media optics, stressing that the law must be enforced to ensure fairness and progress.