BREAKING: Wike’s FCTA Re-Enforces Ban on Smartphones, Allows Only Torchlight Phones for Staff

The Federal Capital Territory Administration has reinstated a strict ban on smartphones and internet-enabled devices for staff on Grade Level 14 and below. In a circular dated November 28, 2025, the FCTA ordered full enforcement from December 1, requiring affected workers to drop their devices in secure cabinets and use only basic “torchlight phones” during office hours. The directive, signed by Assistant Director Amaka Ezike, follows an earlier policy reportedly approved at a staff meeting, with management instructed to enforce compliance or apply disciplinary action.
#FCTA #Wike #WorkplacePolicy

FCTA DEBUNKS CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS; DIRECTS SUSPENSION OF DANLAMI HAYYO

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike has directed the suspension of the Mandate Secretary for Education, Danlami Hayyo., following the circular issued for the closure of all public schools in the FCT.
In a statement by the Senior Special Adviser to FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media Lere Olayinka, the
Acting Head of Service, Mrs Nancy Sabanti Nathan, has also been mandated to discipline the Director, School Services, Mrs Aishatu Sani Alhassan who issued the circular, in accordance with the civil service rules.

Describing the report on early closure of schools as false and misleading.
The administration urged parents, students, and school authorities to dismiss the rumour, stressing that the approved academic calendar remained unchanged.

The FCTA also assured residents of the FCT, especially students of adequate security, adding that the Minister has directed the resumption of Operation Sweep and other security initiatives in the federal capital.

Land dispute: Top FCTA officials tender apology to Wike over brawl with Navy officer.

Top officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have tendered an unreserved apology to the Minister, Nyesom Wike over his recent brawl with Navy Lieutenant AM Yerima in the Gaduwa area of Abuja on Tuesday, November 12.

Wike and Yerima had engaged in a heated verbal altercation over a piece of land owned by a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo.

The minister’s aide, Lere Olayinka had on Wednesday stated that Gambo was scammed off the property by an Abuja-based estate development and had no legal backing to deploy the use of military officers led by Yerima to guard the property and prevent FCTA officials including Wike from gaining access to the land.

Reacting days after the incident, the staff of the administration on Thursday apologised to the minister over the controversial incident which had continued to make headlines.

Peter Obi Reacts as Wike Clashes with Soldiers Over Property in Abuja.

According to a report by Punch on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has reacted to the viral video showing Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, engaging in a heated confrontation with soldiers in Abuja.

The incident, which occurred on Plot 1946 in the Gaduwa District, involved soldiers allegedly blocking officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) from carrying out their duties. The disputed land is reportedly linked to the former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (retd.)

In a post shared on his official X handle on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, Obi described the altercation as “a needless and unfortunate reflection of Nigeria’s growing institutional disorder.”

He said, “The recent altercation between the FCT Minister, His Excellency Nyesom Wike, and a Naval officer is yet another unfortunate reflection of the growing institutional disorder in our country. What should ordinarily be a routine civic encounter has, once again, become a national embarrassment — a typical example of what comes out of a disgraced nation.”

Obi noted that the incident raised critical questions about the misuse of state power and the weakening of Nigeria’s institutions.

He asked: “Should the military be used for purely civil operations? If proper protocols were in place, should a Minister’s intervention in such a matter be so indecorous? Shouldn’t there be clear boundaries between administrative authority and the duties of security agencies?”

He further questioned Nigeria’s culture of governance and respect for due process, lamenting the frequent involvement of military personnel in civil disputes. “Why has the culture of due process and civility given way to public spectacle and confrontation? If our institutions worked as they should, would tempers flare in situations that should be handled by procedure and hierarchy?”

Ex-Lawmaker Applauds Wike’s Bold Leadership in Abuja, Warns Against Clash With Soldiers

A former federal lawmaker has commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for his outstanding performance in managing Abuja’s affairs, describing his leadership as effective, courageous, and commendable, according to a Daily Post report on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.

However, the former senator cautioned Wike against engaging in confrontations with members of the armed forces following a viral video that showed the minister in a heated exchange with soldiers over a disputed plot of land in Gaduwa District, Abuja.

“Wike is doing an excellent job in Abuja but should not be encouraged to do this kind of stunt with soldiers,” the ex-lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, wrote on his X handle.


The viral footage, which has stirred widespread reactions, captured Wike confronting military personnel who allegedly stopped Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) officials from performing their duties.

Reports suggest that the soldiers were acting on behalf of a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (retd.), said to have connections to the contested Plot 1946.

Wike reportedly intervened after learning that the property had been occupied without proper documentation or approval from relevant authorities.

Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to upholding land use laws and fighting illegal property acquisitions, Wike stated that his actions were part of his broader policy to restore order, transparency, and accountability in the FCT’s land administration.

He further cautioned that public officials should resolve land disputes through dialogue and legal means, not by deploying armed security personnel to assert ownership.

“No one, regardless of status or former office, is above the law,” Wike reiterated.

Details of Conversation between FCT minister Wike and Naval Officer Emerge.

A heated verbal confrontation erupted on Tuesday between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and an unidentified uniformed officer during a visit to a disputed estate in the Gaduwa area of Abuja.

Video of the incident shows Wike accusing the officer and soldiers guarding the site of obstructing the FCT Administration’s work and laying claim to the parcel of land.

In the exchange, Wike orders the officer to “shut up,” calls him “a big fool,” and repeatedly reminds him that he was already in school long before the officer was born. The officer responded that he would not be shut up, insisting he was “an officer” acting on instructions and that he had integrity.

The altercation occurred amid intensified FCT efforts to clamp down on alleged illegal land allocations and encroachments in the capital.

Multiple news outlets say the minister’s convoy was briefly blocked at the site before the verbal clash, which has since been widely shared on social media. Officials from the FCTA and military sources were yet to release matching public statements at the time of reporting.

Abuja resident doctors to join NARD indefinite strike Saturday.

Resident doctors employed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration have issued a notice to join the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors in an indefinite industrial action expected to begin on Saturday, November 1, 2025.

This was contained in a notice letter dated 30th October, 2025, addressed to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and signed by ARD-FCTA President, Dr. George Ebong, and the Secretary, Dr. Agbor Affiong.

The decision was unanimously approved by the ARD-FCTA Congress at an emergency meeting on Wednesday.

ARD-FCTA stressed that it would continue the indefinite strike until its demands are met.

“The Congress unanimously votes to fully join the NARD-declared strike in its entirety.

“It is, however, important to note:
Even if NARD suspends or calls off its strike, ARD-FCTA will continue its own indefinite strike action until all demands peculiar to our centre have been satisfactorily met,” the notice partly read.

NARD had earlier announced a plan to begin an indefinite strike on November 1st, 2025.

Recall that ARD-FCTA said it is considering a decisive response against the non-implementation of FCT minister Nyesom Wike’s approval of their demands.

The association had suspended its strike in September 2025 after a pledge by the Nigerian Senate Committee on Federal Territory Area Councils & Ancillary Matters to intervene on the issue.

Ex-FCTA Director Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for ₦318m Fraud.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Mr. Garuba Duku, a retired Director of Finance and Administration with the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), to 24 years in prison for diverting ₦318 million in public funds.

The conviction was announced in a statement by the Director of Public Enlightenment and Education at the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr. Demola Bakare, on Thursday.

According to the ICPC, Duku was arraigned on a six-count charge of corruption and money laundering in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/608/2022. Justice James Omotosho, who presided over the case, found him guilty on all counts after the prosecution successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Investigations revealed that between 2012 and 2013, Duku fraudulently diverted ₦318,250,000 belonging to AMMC into his personal Fidelity Bank account. The court heard that the stolen funds were received in several tranches — ₦56.25 million, ₦71 million, ₦53 million, ₦54 million, ₦46 million, and ₦36.3 million and subsequently laundered through Bureau de Change operators.

The ICPC stated that Duku’s actions violated public financial regulations and constituted a gross abuse of office. During trial, the defendant claimed he transferred the funds to his superiors, but the court dismissed the defence as unsubstantiated.

In his judgment, Justice Omotosho ruled that the prosecution’s evidence was “credible, consistent, and sufficient to establish the offences charged.” He sentenced Duku to four years’ imprisonment on each of the six counts, to run concurrently, or an option of fine amounting to about ₦1.6 billion — five times the total amount involved.

Reacting to the verdict, ICPC spokesperson Bakare hailed the judgment as a significant victory in the agency’s ongoing war against corruption and financial misconduct in the public sector.

Resident doctors in Abuja suspend indefinite strike.

The Association of Resident Doctors of the Federal Capital Territory Administration has suspended the indefinite strike.

He said its members are expected to resume work on Monday, 22nd September 2025, at 8 am.

He noted that the strike suspension comes after the intervention of the Nigerian Senate Committee on Federal Territory Area Councils & Ancillary Matters and respect for FCT Minister Nyesome Wike.

However, Dr Ebong revealed that none of its demands had been met as of filing the report.

“The senate intervened. Even though none of our demands have been met yet, they assured us that they will talk to the minister. “We hope the minister will listen to us, because we respect him,” he stated.

Recall that ARD-FCTA began an indefinite strike on Monday over poor working conditions, remuneration and other demands.

Wike explains why he revoked UniAbuja, Tech Village land.

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory has explained the reason behind the revocation of land belonging to the University of Abuja and the Abuja Technology Village.

Speaking during his monthly media chat with select journalists, the Minister said that the lands for these institutions were revoked out of necessity.

According to the Minister, this act would pave the way for the construction of the ambitious Abuja City Walk project, which is modelled after the renowned Dubai City Walk.

He also stated that after 20 years, investors had failed to develop the sites according to the agreements they had made with the government on the projects.

Also denying allegations of land-grabbing, Wike said the FCT Administration has continued to provide infrastructure to these institutions for the past decades without a single financial gain.

“The FCTA provided the infrastructure for more than 20 years, and nothing has been done. If you go there, they have rented out the place.

“You will see where NNPC tankers are parked, and they collect money. So many people are now claiming to have C of Os. I said okay, I must resolve this problem. There is nothing called Abuja Technology Village,” Wike said.

The minister further stated that the FCTA is planning on a policy shift that could address the issue of holding unutilised lands without development within the stipulated time.

“Land not developed within the stipulated period will revert to the FCTA,” he added.

Man Rescued After Nearly 10 Hours Trapped Under Abuja Building Rubble

A 27-year-old man, Aliyu Salisu from Niger Republic, was rescued alive after being trapped for nearly 10 hours under the rubble of a collapsed three-storey building in the Lifecamp area of Abuja.

The incident occurred around 6:15 p.m. on Saturday. Following a distress call, the Lifecamp Divisional Police Officer quickly mobilized a rescue team, secured the site, and coordinated efforts involving the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), FCTA Development Control, and other agencies.

Salisu was freed at about 4:00 a.m. on Sunday and taken to Cedar Crest Hospital, Gudu, where he is currently recovering.

The FCT Police Commissioner, Ajao Adewale, praised the professionalism of the rescuers and urged the public to remain vigilant and report emergencies promptly.

Three-storey building collapses in Abuja, victim rescued after 10 hours.

A three-storey building has collapsed in the Lifecamp area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja.

The incident, according to the Police Public Relations Officer of the FCT command, Josephine Adeh, occurred at about 6 pm on Saturday.

A 27-year-old male and citizen of Niger Republic, Aliyu Salisu, who was trapped in the rubble, was rescued on Sunday morning.

In a statement, Josephine noted that upon receiving reports of the incident, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Lifecamp Division, promptly mobilized a rescue team to the scene, cordoned off the area, and commenced a coordinated rescue operation.

She said officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Development Control Department, Zeberced Construction Company, and Julius Berger Construction Company were also part of the rescue team.

“At about 4:00 AM on 3rd August 2025, rescue teams successfully extricated Aliyu Salisu, a 27-year-old male and citizen of Niger Republic, the lone victim who had remained trapped in the rubble for close to ten hours of life saving operation.

“He was immediately rushed to Cedar Crest Hospital, Gudu, for medical evaluation and comprehensive medical care. He’s currently responding to treatment”, the PPRO noted.

She added that the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ajao S. Adewale, who was personally at the scene to oversee the rescue operations, “commended the timely and professional response of both NEMA and FCTA Development Control officials, as well as other Service Commanders who were on ground with their men, and members of the community”.

Wike Reclaims 7,000 Hectares from University of Abuja, Reduces Land Allocation.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reclaimed 7,000 hectares of land from the University of Abuja, reducing the institution’s landholding from 11,000 to 4,000 hectares in the Giri District.

Wike, speaking during the commissioning of newly constructed access roads in the area, accused the university of illegally occupying and fencing off large portions of land without proper documentation.

"The University grabbed 11,000 hectares without any document. That cannot continue," Wike said. "You see them fencing everything, and before long, they start selling off our land."

He directed the FCTA’s Director of Lands and other relevant agencies to formalize a reduced 4,000-hectare allocation to the university, with the remaining land earmarked for planned development projects.

Wike emphasized that the land recovery was part of his broader strategy to accelerate infrastructure and urban development in the district. He also revealed that internal road construction within the area would soon begin, stating:
“Now that we’ve opened access roads, we've instructed the Executive Secretary of the FCDA to begin planning for internal roads. In another year, this district will look completely different.”

The minister also announced plans to collaborate with the National Assembly to establish new institutions in the district, with the FCTA ready to provide land support for their development.

He added that the newly completed access road would enable the EFCC Academy in the district to begin full operations.
“They now have access roads to move in equipment and begin development. This will encourage others to invest and build in the area,” he said.

Highlighting how lack of infrastructure often discourages land development, Wike promised to provide essential amenities such as roads, water, and electricity to attract investment and promote growth.

“When you allocate land without infrastructure, development stalls. We’ll do our part to ensure basic facilities are in place,” he assured.

NANS gives Wike seven days to reopen Abuja schools.

The National Association of Nigerian Students has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to reopen public primary schools in Abuja.

The student body said failure to do so would result in protests and the shutdown of the Federal Capital Development Authority.

The warning follows the continued closure of public primary schools in the FCT for over two months, due to unresolved issues between the FCT Administration and the Local Government Education Authorities.

In a strongly worded statement on Tuesday by its National President, Olushola Oladoja, and National PRO, Samson Adeyemi, NANS accused the FCTA of denying children from low-income backgrounds access to basic education.

FCTA to Construct New INEC Headquarters in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is set to construct a new headquarters for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

The project, located in Maitama, is scheduled to be flagged off by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday as part of events marking his second year in office.

The FCTA will execute the project, though specific details, including the cost, remain undisclosed pending the official event.

Wike Reportedly Refuses to Unseal PDP Headquarters Despite President Tinubu’s Directive

Despite President Bola Tinubu’s directive to unseal the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the building remains sealed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) under the leadership of Minister Nyesom Wike. 

On Monday, May 26, 2025, the FCTA sealed several properties in Abuja, including the PDP’s Wadata Plaza in Wuse Zone 5, over unpaid ground rents. In response to public outcry, President Tinubu intervened, ordering the unsealing of the affected properties and granting a 14-day grace period for defaulters to settle their dues.  

However, as of Wednesday morning, May 28, 2025, the PDP headquarters remained padlocked, with FCTA seals still in place. Staff members were seen outside the premises, expressing frustration over the continued closure.

Minister Wike has defended the FCTA’s actions, emphasizing the importance of ground rent payments for the administration’s revenue. He stated that the enforcement would continue, regardless of political pressure or blackmail. 

The PDP has condemned the sealing of its headquarters, describing it as an attempt to undermine democracy. Party leaders have called for immediate compliance with the President’s directive to unseal the premises.  

The situation has sparked debates about the autonomy of the FCTA and the implications of defying presidential orders. Observers are closely monitoring developments as tensions between the FCTA and the PDP escalate.

#PDP #WadataPlaza #FCTA #NyesomWike

Tinubu Intervenes On FCT Ground Rent, Defaulters Given 14-Day Grace
The FCTA commenced enforcement on the 4,794 properties revoked for non-payment of Ground Rent, from 10 to 43 years on Monday
Following the sealing of several structures in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday by the FCT Administration, defaulters have been granted a 14-day grace period to settle their ground rents with associated penalties, after the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.

According to @Imranmuhdz on X:

“BREAKING: FCTA operatives have shut down the PDP headquarters. The building was closed off approximately at 2:05 p.m. on Monday.”

According to @Imranmuhdz on X:

“BREAKING: The FCTA has closed the FIRS office located in Zone 5, Abuja, due to a failure to pay ground rent for 25 years.”