FIRS accuses FCTA of assault despite Tinubu’s ground rent directive

By Kunle Sanni

A fresh controversy has emerged in the ongoing ground rent enforcement drive led by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, despite President Bola Tinubu’s recent intervention.

According to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Arabinrin Aderonke, a media aide to the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), a senior aide to the FIRS Chairman was assaulted on Tuesday by a security official.

She alleged that an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) physically assaulted the Senior Special Assistant on Protocol to the FIRS Chairman at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja, leaving the aide with bruises and bleeding injuries.

“Despite PBAT’s order yesterday directing the FCTA to give 14 days grace to defaulters—although FIRS isn’t a defaulter—FCTA returned to FIRS HQ to cause mayhem. My colleague, SA Protocol to FIRS Chairman, was beaten by an officer of NSCDC, with bruises and blood all over his body,” Aderonke wrote.

The incident occurred just one day after President Tinubu ordered the FCT Administration to grant a 14-day grace period to ground rent defaulters, following public criticism of its aggressive enforcement methods.

Earlier, the FCTA announced the revocation of titles for 4,794 properties due to unpaid ground rent, with some debts dating back over 40 years.

Western Post had previously reported Aderonke’s criticism of the FCTA for sealing off one of FIRS’s offices, describing the action as “malicious” and “unprofessional.”