Tension is mounting around the 12 Crescent area of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) estate in Apo/Guzape, Abuja, as land grabbers continue to encroach on properties legally allocated by the government.
Documents seen by Observers Times show that the disputed plots were duly acquired by the FHA from the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), and allocated to beneficiaries in 2022.
Despite an ongoing court case challenging the illegal occupation of the land, the encroachers allegedly backed by a prominent politician from the South-East region, said to be fronting for a powerful government official have continued construction activities and reportedly sold off plots for as much as N250 million each.
FHA, in suit number FCT/8C/CD/290/2025, instituted a legal action against NIMAO Ventures Ltd at the Abuja High Court, seeking to halt the unauthorised developments and reclaim its land.
However, sources familiar with the matter told Observers Times that despite the pending litigation, the developer has gone ahead to mobilise labour and security personnel to secure and develop the disputed plots.
An affected FHA allottee, who spoke under anonymity, confirmed that all efforts to access his property have been rebuffed by the encroachers.
“They claim to have a Certificate of Occupancy dated 2024,” he said. “But how can someone suddenly o btain a C of O on land that was validly allocated by FHA two years earlier? This is impunity and daylight robbery.”
According to the aggrieved allottee, several others who were issued allocation letters by FHA in 2022 are now organising to resist the takeover and demand justice.
“We are coming together to defend our rights. This is not just about land; it is about the rule of law and due process,” he stated.
An official of the FHA, who also requested anonymity, told The Journal that the agency is still reviewing the situation but will not hesitate to take every lawful step necessary to reclaim the property.
“Searches conducted at the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) show clearly that the land belongs to FHA,” the source said.
See also: WEPHCO Rebuilds Trust in Real Estate, Launches Brand Ambassador to Promote Secure Investment
According to the official, “There is no record that the land allocated to FHA has been revoked. It was granted to the Authority under the previous administration for housing development. The developer’s claims to a Certificate of Occupancy issued in 2024 are not only suspicious but may also indicate fraudulent dealings.”
The controversy has drawn widespread attention within Abuja’s real estate circles, as questions mount over how land under litigation could be sold and developed despite clear legal constraints.
The group of FHA allottees at 12 Crescent, Apo/Guzape, is urging the Federal Government to intervene swiftly to prevent what they describe as a “broad daylight robbery of properties legally acquired.” They warned that allowing such impunity to stand would further weaken public confidence in the integrity of land administration in the Federal Capital Territory.
“The government must take a stand against criminality and the brazen disregard of court processes. What is happening in Guzape is a test of our institutions, and the time to act is now,” one of the allottees said.
As of the time of filing this report, the court is yet to deliver judgment on the matter, while development continues on the disputed plots, raising further concerns about the enforcement of land rights and judicial authority in Abuja.
