By Chris Otaigbe
The move of Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, to recover 149 properties of the Federal Government scattered all around the country has been greeted with doubts and scepticism by Nigerians, who believe there may be more properties than the government may have revealed to Nigerians. They further wonder why the AGF did not deem it fit to do this long before now especially before recent allegations against him of certain corrupt acts.
Most of the comments were based on their conspiracy theories from the ongoing corruption probe against the nation’s anti-corruption czar, the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu. They believe if Magu is being probed for re-looting recovered loots, what is the guarantee that Agents appointed by the AGF will not compromise along the way to hide many more Federal Government properties in certain parts of the country occupied by powerful Nigerians?
As commendable as Malami’s act may seem, many Nigerians are still not impressed because they believe AGF’s recent revelations may be a show to distract Nigerians from the corruption allegations against him. One of such is the story making the rounds about 100 million barrels of crude oil hidden, secretly and illegally sold off in China.
Pointing to some of the properties that allegedly belong to the AGF, Nigerians asked the nation’s Chief Attorney to clear himself of all those allegations before they can believe his current expose of the properties is devoid of an agenda to deflect allegations against him by the suspended EFCC boss.
Another red flag raised by Nigerians is the fact that many properties of the government were sold illegally by past administrations to themselves, proxies and cronies. They wonder how the AGF hopes to tackle the matter.
Here are some of the views of Nigerians on the recovery of properties of the federal government
A Lawyer practising in Lagos, Bar. Steve Ogunmekun, said the Attorney General should be commended for taking such a bold step to go after the nation’s stolen properties. According to him, he would also like the AGF to clear his name regarding the allegations that have been levied against him, so Nigerians can be convinced that the latest heroic act of his is not seen or interpreted as a decoy for him to escape being called to defend himself. For a Chief Law Officer whose son, allegedly, launched a multi-billion Naira facility in Kebbi State less than two years ago, Ogunmekun believes there is a compelling need for the AGF to clear his name.
“I think Abubakar Malami, SAN, did well with the properties they are about to recover and he should be commended for it. But he needs to convince Nigerians that he is not doing this to cover and distract from the growing allegations of corruption against him, especially from Magu, whom he succeeded in placing under suspension. It is important he puts all the rumours and allegations of illegal deals and properties around him to rest…,” said Steve.
An Abuja-based businessman, Chief Harold Alagoa, is sceptical about the AGF’s latest recovery. Alagoa said that was, hitherto, Magu’s job, adding that the AGF could be using the revelation to send a message that this was what the suspended EFCC Chairman was supposed to have done long ago.
“They all know what they are doing. The AGF appointed an Agent to go round the country to hunt for properties of the Federal government being occupied illegally. Was it an assignment given to the Agent yesterday or last month? It definitely has been ongoing even while Magu was still in charge as EFCC Chairman. So, why did he not mandate Magu to do it, since it is about the recovery of looted properties? I have my doubts about this sudden good act by the AGF.” Alagoa said.
One of the Lagos-based human rights activist, Mrs Oladele Ogunsola, believes the attempt to recover 149 properties may not be the end of the matter as she prophesied that in some time to come, Nigerians may also hear about how even these 149 properties were re-looted by some of the people within the same administration.
“We have not heard the last of this matter, my brother. Very soon, you will hear how those houses would have been stolen by people in government. After this loud introduction of the Houses in the media, in a matter of days from now, the noise about the whole story would start fading off to give way for another round of season film of re-looting of government money and assets. These people know what they are doing. We are just spectators…,” Oladele said.
A Current Affairs analyst and blogger, Martins Bulus, commended the AGF for a job well done. He further pressed the Attorney General to also go after properties acquired by past government officials who perfected papers to convert government assets to their personal properties.
“The Attorney General should please look at certain other government assets that have been converted to private property by some government officials in the previous governments. As the AGF, he should know about properties that were cleverly converted into private ownership by some unscrupulous officials of government who know how to cook the books to steal government money and properties.” Bulus said.
Project manager and GM of Premier records, Michael Odiong, said it is a welcome development, long overdue. The properties like the former federal secretariat in Ikoyi and others have been lying fallow for over three decades. “But my biggest fear is what will happen to them when the government collects them. We hope the Nigerian syndrome of sharing properties will not take over as it is always about the elites and not the masses.” He said.
Global Administrator, Imo Network Group (ING), Prince Francis Chilaka, said matters that bother on public interest such as the one the AGF has presented should be done on time and on point.
“Accountability and transparency are not only naming them at one’s spare time but naming them at the appropriate time. I do not see any sincerity in this. It is nothing but a distraction from the various probes ongoing.” Said Chilaka.
Public analyst and pharmacist, Charles Akintunde Akinsete, said it is expedient to recover all looted funds and property and redirect our priorities in the right channels.
For Lagos businessman, Ayodele Oloyede, he would also like the AGF to respond to the many allegations against him, while he exposes Federal government’s properties that were hitherto unknown to Nigerians.
“I strongly suggest the AGF attend to the various allegations levelled against him first. He that comes to equity must come with cleans hands. How are we sure his figures are true?
“How are we sure he has not taken some for himself and his cronies before coming out with these figures? With his antecedents. He can’t be trusted.” Oloyede submitted.
Chairman, ACT network said the move by the government to recover the 149 properties illegally occupied across the country is a welcome one, while, similarly, commending the government for using the judiciary to get the properties back.
“It is also commendable that the government has chosen to go to court to pursue the recovery of such properties rather than resorting to the use of federal might in any “self-help” approach,” the ACT Chairman said.
However, he added that it will also be critical that a thorough review of the occupation history of such properties be conducted with a view to determining how each occupant came to be in possession. “Where any form of foul play or abuse is discovered in these transactions, appropriate consequences must be meted out to parties complicit in such,” said Segun.
According to the Act network Chairman, this will serve as a deterrence for future occurrences of same, adding that it is very critical that the outcome of this process is made public for the sake of accountability.
“Finally, given the desperate need to shore up the revenue-generating capacity of the government, these properties, once recovered, should be put to economic use, preferably avoiding outsight sales. Options include renting them to desirous members of the public, developing them in partnership with private property investors or ensuring only revenue-generating MDAs are allowed to use them and charging close to commercial rent/lease rates for them.” He said.
Through the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, the Federal Ministry of Justice recently appointed an Agent to identify and recover possession of landed properties belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria within all the States of the Federation, which are currently being used and occupied by unauthorized persons who do not have the license or authority of the Federal Government of Nigeria to occupy the properties.
According to the AGF, the Agent was said to have identified 149 properties currently being occupied by unauthorized persons with over 120 of the properties located within Ikoyi, Lagos State.
The Agent has also commenced a lawsuit at the High Court of Lagos State for the recovery of possession of the properties through Order 57 of the Civil Procedure Rules of the High Court of Lagos State.
In what could be described providing a soft-landing or safety net for unauthorized Occupiers, in an article written by the appointed Agent, there is a portion where he discussed the implication of the lawsuit and steps, which an occupier or an interested person in any of the identified properties can take in order to ensure that its interest in the property is adequately protected.
Some of the properties included in one of the lists affected by the Federal Government’s Suit No. ID/2543LMW/2020 — Nurudeen & Co. Nigeria Limited v. The Occupier/Persons in Occupation are as follows:
6, Ayoola Coker Street, GRA, Ikeja; 14, Oba Akinjobi Road, GRA, Ikeja; 18, Esugbayi Street, GRA, Ikeja; Kunle Fajuyi Street, GRA, Ikeja; 40, Adekunle Fajuyi Street, GRA, Ikeja; 41, Adekunle Fajuyi, Street, GRA, Ikeja; Parcel of Land (FMW Road Camp), Dr. Nurudeen Olowopopo Street, Near Lagos Secretariat, Ikeja; Nipost Office Mushin, Nipost Land Mushin; 8A, Bedwell Avenue Ikoyi; 3, Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi; 6, Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi; 10-11 Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi; 16-18 Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi; 34, Bourdillon, Road, Ikoyi; 26, Cameron Road, Ikoyi; 27A, 27B, 27C, Cameron Road, Ikoyi; 27C, Cameron Road, Ikoyi; 28A, 28B, 28C, Cameron Road, Ikoyi; 32A, Cameron Road, Ikoyi; 32B, Cameron Road, Ikoyi; 32C, Cameron Road, Ikoyi.
Others are 37, Cameron Road, Ikoyi; 38, Cameron Road; Ikoyi, 40, Cameron Road, Ikoyi; 45, Cameron Road, Ikoyi; 5A, Club Road, Ikoyi; 17A, Cooper Road, Ikoyi; 17B, Cooper Road, Ikoyi; 17C, Cooper Road, Ikoyi; 29, Cooper Road, Ikoyi; 33A, Cooper Road, Ikoyi; 36A, Cooper Road, Ikoyi; 2A, Falomo, Ikoyi; 2, Fowler Road, Ikoyi; 4, Fowler Road, Ikoyi; 6, Fowler Road, Ikoyi; 8, Fowler Road, Ikoyi; 1, George Street, Ikoyi; 2A, George Street, Ikoyi; 4A, George Street, Ikoyi; 4B, George Street, Ikoyi; 6, Glover Street, Ikoyi; 7, Glover Street, Ikoyi; 9, Glover Street, Ikoyi; 11, Glover Street, Ikoyi; 18B, Glover Street, Ikoyi; 25, Glover Street, Ikoyi, among others.
