By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, a prominent elder stateswoman, has once again expressed her frustration with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over a prolonged land dispute involving her family’s property in Paulosa Estate.

The dispute stems from allegations of land use violations and unpaid charges, which the FCTA claims justify the revocation of land titles and penalties for landowners, including the Ogbebor family.

During a press briefing on Friday, 84-year-old Rita Lori-Ogbebor, joined by her sons Osaruonanen Ogbebor and Ikponmwosa Paul-Ogbebor, outlined the challenges they have faced with the FCTA. The family has been caught in a bureaucratic maze, with their land rights threatened despite long-standing compliance with regulations.

Reflecting on her long history of service to Nigeria, the elder stateswoman expressed frustration that, at her age, she should not be forced to appeal to the President to protect her family’s property. Chief Lori-Ogbebor pointed out that her late husband had made significant contributions to the development of Abuja, helping bring people from around the world to build the city. Now, after more than 40 years, their property faces potential demolition and reallocation.

“I’ve worked for this country as I should, and I see no reason to search for a savior,” she said. “I’ve never asked this country for anything. At the age of 84, I shouldn’t have to ask the President to intervene because someone is demolishing my house. I would rather die and let Nigerians decide if they will contribute to the cause.”

The family began the process to validate their land allocation in 2020, which had been initially approved during Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s tenure as FCT Minister. In early 2023, the FCTA Minister, Mohammed Musa Bello, approved their request to restart the process. However, complications arose when the family discovered their plot number was missing from the system, preventing them from generating receipts and completing further payments.

This issue led to the requirement for a new plot number, which the family was still waiting for approval to receive as of last year.

Osaruonanen Ogbebor, one of Rita Lori-Ogbebor’s sons, explained that their attempts to resolve the matter had been stalled by bureaucratic delays, with their file awaiting approval on the FCTA Minister’s desk.

“During Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s tenure, we began the recertification and validation process,” he said. “After El-Rufai left in 2020, we requested to restart the process, and FCTA Minister Mohammed Musa Bello approved it in February 2023. We made an initial deposit of N10 million, but when we went to generate receipts, we discovered our plot number was not in the system. Without this number, we couldn’t proceed with payments.”

Despite these efforts, the Ogbebor family found that their plot had been reallocated to Saravera Nigeria Limited, a company not involved in the original land allocation. The same plot number, which had been missing from the system, was now associated with the company.

Ikponmwosa Paul-Ogbebor, another son, expressed disbelief at the reallocation, especially given the family’s investment and the unresolved registration issues.

“Surprisingly, the property was reallocated to Saravera Nigeria Limited with our plot number, 2241, which was supposedly missing in the system,” he said.

The Ogbebor family’s case gained further attention when Senators Natasha Uduaghan and Ireti Kingibe rallied in support of their fight to retain their land. Both senators condemned the FCTA’s actions and called for greater transparency in land management. The Senate has since addressed the unrest caused by the dispute, and Rita Lori-Ogbebor expressed her gratitude for their support, as well as the intervention of the President and First Lady.

“I especially thank the Senate President and the entire Senate for addressing the unrest caused by this issue,” Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor said. “This victory isn’t just for our family, but for all Nigerians facing similar threats.”