By Ubong Usoro
A group of Nigerian lawyers under the public interest firm Law Capitol has called on the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, to urgently address the growing number of abandoned housing estates in Abuja, including the long-vacant BUA Estate in Kado District.
In a detailed petition sent to both the FCT Minister and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, the firm expressed deep concern over the worsening housing crisis in Abuja, where thousands of low-income residents, civil servants, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) struggle to find affordable accommodation, despite the presence of hundreds of completed but unoccupied housing units.
The lawyers—Stan Alieke, O.M. Okpave, Chioma Nnenna Iro, Kate Ntunde, Mazi David Ihuoma, and Odenigbo Celestine, wrote, “A particularly troubling example is the BUA Estate located in Kado District, Abuja, which comprises over 400 completed housing units and has remained entirely unoccupied since its completion over ten years ago,” the petition read.
“The estate remains fenced off, sealed, and unused, while low-income earners, displaced persons, and struggling workers continue to battle homelessness, overcrowded conditions, and rising rent costs across the FCT.”
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Abuja’s Abandoned Estates: A Threat to Development and Security
According to Law Capitol, many of these abandoned estates are situated on prime public land and have remained uninhabited due to high pricing, speculation, or neglect by developers. The firm described the situation as a threat to both social equity and public safety.
“These are not just vacant buildings,” the petition states, “they are symbolic of failed housing policies, government inaction, and unchecked real estate speculation. It is a gross injustice that in a country with a massive housing deficit, completed estates in central Abuja are hoarded, fenced off, or priced beyond reach.”
Lawyers Recommend Legal Action and Policy Reform
The lawyers are urging the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to exercise its powers under the Land Use Act and the FCT Urban and Regional Planning Law to conduct a full occupancy audit of estates that have been left unused for five years or more. Where necessary, they recommend mass housing conversion, government acquisition, or public resale under regulated pricing.
To support their case, the firm referenced the Supreme Court ruling in Idu v. Okumagba (1991) 2 NWLR (Pt. 174) 509, which affirms that long-term, uncontested possession can extinguish the rights of the original property owner under the principle of adverse possession.
“If individuals can claim legal ownership after long-term use, then the State is even more empowered to reclaim or repurpose abandoned estates in the public interest,” they argued.
