Mr. Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Publicity and Communications to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, has defended his principal’s actions during Tuesday’s confrontation with a naval officer in Abuja, attributing the dispute to a land scam that deceived a retired naval chief
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, Olayinka explained that the land in question was originally allocated in 2007 for park and recreation purposes, not for residential or commercial development.
“That particular land was allocated to a company in 2007, Santos Estate Limited, for park and recreation. The company did not develop it because it is a parkway, a walkway, a road corridor—you don’t build there,” he said.
He added that in 2022, Santos Estate Limited applied to the FCT Administration to change the land’s use from park to commercial, but the request was denied.
“In 2022, the minister of FCT declined that request. Wike was not the minister then,” Olayinka noted.
Despite the refusal, the company allegedly divided the land and sold portions to private buyers, including former Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo (retd.).
“Probably in anticipation of approval for conversion, the company partitioned the land, allocated for park and recreation, and sold it to people, including the former Chief of Naval Staff,” he said.
Olayinka claimed that upon realizing the situation, the retired naval officer attempted to assert ownership using his military influence.
“That is why I say the Chief of Naval Staff was scammed. He has realised he was scammed. Instead of seeking recourse against the company, he resorted to military might. After selling land allocated for park and recreation, who should he hold accountable—the people who bought it or the government? He chose not to go after the company that scammed him,” he stated.
Olayinka clarified that the land, located in Mabushi, is zoned for public and corporate buildings, not private residences, and stressed that Gambo does not have a valid title or approved building plan for it.
“As of today, Vice Admiral Gambo does not have a document showing he owns the land. He does not own the land,” he said, adding that any development requires an approved building plan from the Development Control Department.
“The question Nigerians should ask Vice Admiral Gambo is: Did he take his building plan to Development Control, and was it approved?” he added.
His comments follow widespread reactions to a viral video showing Wike confronting naval personnel guarding the property linked to the retired officer, sparking public debate on land administration, civil-military relations, and authority in the Federal Capital Territory.
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