Wike orders FCTA to seal FIRS, bank, petrol station

Officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA have sealed the Wuse Zone 5 office of the Federal Inland Revenue Service FIRS over non-payment of Ground Rent for 25 years.

The Administration also sealed an Access Bank branch and a Total petrol station located in Wuse District over non-payment of ground rents for decades.

According to officials, the bank had not paid ground rents on the building for 34 years.

The administration had revoked 4,794 property titles in March for failing to pay their ground rents for 10 to 43 years.

Thousands of others who owed less than 10 years were given a grace period of 21 days to pay up or face similar sanctions.

The administration was still reconciling its accounts as of last Friday to ascertain those who paid within the grace period.

However, the administration had said it would Monday (today) begin to take possession of the 4,794 properties whose titles were revoked.

The affected bank property was officially allocated to Rana Tahir Furniture Nigeria Limited, and not Access Bank directly.

Vanguard could not immediately confirm whether the bank had purchased the property from the original allottee or if it was renting it.