Wike Defies Pastor’s Plea: Jabi Lake Revocation Stands Even if God Comes Down

By Tgnews Reporter

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has firmly defended the government’s decision to revoke land allocations around Jabi Lake, insisting the enforcement action will proceed regardless of emotional appeals, including religious intervention.

In a robust response on Wednesday during a media chat in Abuja, Wike addressed the viral video of Rev. Serah Omaku, Senior Pastor of Family Worship Centre, Abuja, who knelt on the pulpit pleading with him not to repossess the land.

“I’m not carried away by such emotions,” Wike declared. “Begging to do what? Who owns Jabi Lake? How does it become your own?”

The minister explained that the affected area, originally allocated to a company for development into an entertainment hub, had instead deteriorated into shanties and unauthorised structures, including a hotel surrounded by makeshift settlements.

“One of these days I went there and said, ‘This can’t be; there is a hotel, and who would come to stay in that hotel when there are shanties all over?’ You don’t know if there are criminals,” he said.

Wike revealed that the FCT Administration has revoked the allocation and plans to reassign the land to serious investors capable of transforming the prime recreational area. Strict development timelines will be attached to the new allocations, with automatic reversion to the government in cases of non-compliance.

“You cannot allocate land and leave it for that long with nothing to show. We revoked it. Now we want to give it to people who are ready to develop it,” he stated. “We will reallocate the land with clear conditions. If there is no development within the specified time, we will take it back.”

The minister dismissed suggestions that the exercise aims to restrict public access to the lake, clarifying that the focus is on eliminating land speculation and restoring approved land use.

“We are not taking anything from the public. We are reclaiming land from those who failed to do what they were supposed to do or who converted it to unauthorised uses,” Wike emphasised.

He noted that several plots around the lake, meant for high-end developments, had remained undeveloped for over a decade, turning into eyesores and potential security risks.

The development underscores the FCT Administration’s renewed determination to tackle decades of land abuse and speculation in Nigeria’s capital city through stricter enforcement and performance-based allocations.

As of Wednesday, the pastor’s emotional appeal continues to circulate widely on social media platforms, sparking mixed reactions among Nigerians.