More than 50 land allottees in Mpape II Layout, Abuja, have dragged the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and other officials before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, accusing them of unlawfully cancelling their land allocations and facilitating the alleged takeover of their properties by military-linked estate developers.
The landowners, led by John Zira in a representative capacity for affected allottees, are seeking judicial intervention over what they describe as an illegal land grab involving government officials, alleged Air Force personnel, the operators of NAF Bomo Estate Promo, also known as NAF Bomo Hilltop Estate, and Naval Building and Construction Limited, a company they allege is linked to the Nigerian Navy.
The claimants maintain that their plots were legitimately allocated to them and that they possess the relevant allocation documents, technical data plans, receipts and other records supporting their claims to the properties.
Among the named allottees are Tanko Pmabi, allocated Plot E109E measuring 4,000 square metres; Prime Business, Plot E119A measuring one hectare; Samuel Shayo, Plot E111F measuring 1,900 square metres; Baffalo Shakatafi, Plot E111D measuring 4,700 square metres; Kefas Mai Rogo, Plot E111C measuring 2,000 square metres; and Damisa, Plot E110G measuring 2,100 square metres.
Others include Ahmad Mai Jama, allocated Plot E111B measuring 6,500 square metres; Micheal Jezhi Adams, Plot E108E measuring 5,400 square metres; Shekwolo Shapami, Plot E109G measuring 4,000 square metres; and Alfa Global, Plot E110cc measuring one hectare.
The allottees said their documentation includes Offers of Terms of Grant/Occupancy, technical data plans, Area Council receipts, regularisation documents and a confirmation letter from the Director of Urban and Regional Planning indicating that the plots form part of the approved layout.
They further maintain that they have paid the applicable statutory charges and remained in peaceful possession of their respective properties before the alleged interference.
According to the claimants, the dispute escalated in 2026 when the FCT Minister, the FCDA, the Director of Development Control of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) and certain FCDA directors allegedly took steps to cancel or reallocate the plots without complying with the statutory requirements for revocation of land rights.
They contend that no formal notice of revocation was served on them, no overriding public interest was established to justify the alleged actions, and no compensation was paid for the properties.
The landowners allege that the purported cancellation or reallocation of their plots paved the way for operators of NAF Bomo Estate Promo, also known as NAF Bomo Hilltop Estate, to enter the disputed land and commence activities they consider unlawful.
They accused the estate operators and individuals they described as alleged Air Force personnel of erecting structures, mounting signboards, excavating portions of the land, marketing the properties and attempting to sell parts of the disputed plots.
The claimants further allege that the situation has worsened following the entry of Naval Building and Construction Limited, which they accuse of participating in the alleged trespass and other activities affecting their properties.
They said the activities have continued despite formal demands requesting the relevant authorities to recognise their allocations, protect their interests and restore their peaceful possession of the land.
The allottees argue that the alleged actions violate the Land Use Act and Section 44 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides safeguards against compulsory acquisition of property except in accordance with the law and subject to applicable conditions, including compensation where required.
They said the dispute has caused them emotional distress, financial uncertainty, loss of development opportunities and an inability to develop their properties while competing claims over the land remain unresolved.
The dispute is now before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, where a motion for interlocutory injunction is pending in Suit No. M/3797/2026. The substantive action is identified as Suit No. FCT/CV/4139/2026.
Through the suit, the claimants are seeking declarations that their land allocations remain valid and subsisting and that any purported revocation of their interests is null and void.
They are also asking the court to restrain the defendants and those acting through them from further interfering with their properties, recognise their claimed titles and set aside any grants or allocations allegedly issued to the parties accused of trespassing on the land.
The allottees are additionally demanding ₦700 million in damages, alongside costs, over the alleged infringement of their proprietary rights and the consequences of the disputed land transactions.
International human rights lawyer Samuel Ihensekhien Junior has been briefed to lead the legal representation of the claimants in the dispute, which raises questions about the circumstances surrounding the alleged cancellation of the allocations and the subsequent occupation of the land.
Counsel on record is Pathlegal and Co., located at Suite 5, Highbury Plaza, Kubwa. The representative parties named in the allottees’ materials are John Zira, Salisu Mohammed, Alfa Global Auto Centre Limited and Ismailia Drikrullah.
In a press statement, the affected landowners appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the dispute and order a comprehensive investigation into the alleged roles of the FCT Minister, the FCDA, AMMC Development Control, implicated directors, Air Force officers, Naval Building and Construction Limited and the operators of NAF Bomo Estate.
They urged the Federal Government to ensure that the allegations are thoroughly investigated and that the rule of law is upheld, insisting that citizens who hold allocation documents and have complied with applicable requirements should not be deprived of their property interests through unlawful administrative actions or unauthorised occupation.
The allottees also called for measures to protect their claimed proprietary rights and prevent further interference with the disputed plots while the court determines the matter.
As of Monday, it was not confirmed whether the FCT Minister had been formally briefed on the suit. The Minister’s office, the FCDA, AMMC, the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Navy had not issued public responses to the specific allegations contained in the claimants’ statement.
The allegations against the government officials, military personnel and companies have not been established by a court. The filing of the suit and the pending application for an interlocutory injunction do not, by themselves, amount to a judicial determination that the disputed allocations were unlawfully revoked or that the parties accused of trespass acted illegally.
The legality of the original allocations, any purported revocation or subsequent grants, and the circumstances surrounding the alleged occupation and marketing of the properties remain matters for judicial determination.
The allottees insist that their allocations are valid, that they had remained in peaceful possession of their plots and that their rights must be protected. They are asking the court to intervene and prevent further interference with the properties while the substantive dispute is being determined.
The case remains before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.