Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has narrated how he revoked the title of a land allocated to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. to be able to secure land for the construction of Judges quarters in the FCT.
Wike made the disclosure during the official flag-off ceremony of the Design and Construction of 40 Judges’ Quarters at the nation’s capital, on Monday.
He stated that the land upon which the quarters would be built was owned by Julius Berger construction company.
Addressing the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Wike said, “My Lord, let me bring to your notice. You have seen this land here. When we were looking for where to get land to build. I was driving around, looking for empty space and I got here and saw this empty land.
“I saw the big post ‘Julius Berger’. And I didn’t talk. I called the director of lands. And I asked him ‘who owns that land?’ And he said Julius Berger. When was it allocated? He said about 15, 20 years ago. 15, 20 years ago? Nothing has been done? I didn’t bother.
“So, I invited the MD Julius Berger. He came and we had dinner. I didn’t talk about the land. The next day, he was in the office and he saw the revocation letter as a matter of public interest. He called me and said ‘but I had dinner with you’. I said ‘yes; we had dinner but we didn’t discuss the land’.
“How will the Government allocate land for more than 20 years for organization to develop and they did not develop it? Thank God they did not develop it and now we can have it,” Wike said.
Speaking on the Judges quarter, the Minister said 70 percent of funds for the project was released after its approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Wike further explained that out of the 40 units, 20 would be allocated to the FCT High Court. While 10 would go to the Federal High Court, and 10 to the Court of Appeal.
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