As of December 31, 2024, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has signed a total of 5,481 Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O), the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, has said.

This is 2,919 less than the total number of C-of-O printed and signed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) from 2010 to 2023 (13 years).

In a statement on Tuesday, Olayinka said; “the moment necessary payments are made, land allottees can now get their C-of-O within two weeks.”

He said “one of the reasons land allottees do not find it compelling to pay for their C-of-O is because when they pay, they wait for years.

But in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government, that has changed now.

“Even uploading of necessary information to show when a C-of-O is collected as well as details on the collector that used to take months, is now done within 72 hours.

”Giving details of C-of-O produced and signed in the FCT in the last 15 years, the Minister’s Spokesperson said; “From May 2010 to May 2015, total of 5,655 Certificates of Occupancy were produced and signed.

“From May 2015 to May 2019, a total of 1,174 Certificates of Occupancy were produced and signed, while 1,571 were done between May 2019 and May 2023.

“Meanwhile, from May 2023 that President Tinubu assumed office till December 31, 2024, a total of 5,481 Certificates of Occupancy were produced and signed by the FCT Minister.

“Also, in the next few weeks, land allottees whose C-of-O are ready for collection will begin to receive auto-generated SMS because it has been discovered that most of them don’t even know that their title documents are ready.”

The Ekiti State government has set up storage facilities in different parts of the state, with the sole aim of buying farm produce from farmers during harvest season and storing them for release during period of scarcity.

This ccomes with a move to ensuring food sufficiency and availability in the state.

The State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, who on Monday led some officials on inspection of one of the storage facilities for agricultural produce in Ado- Ekiti, said building the storage facilities is one of the government’s plans to avert the food scarcity that was experienced in the state last year.

Governor Oyebanji said government’s immediate focus is to address food shortage, reduce post-harvest losses and ensure food sufficiency all year round across the state.

Speaking with Journalists shortly after the inspection, Governor Oyebanji who was accompanied on the inspection by his Chief of Staff, Mr Niyi Adebayo, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Boluwade Ebenezer, Commissioner for Trade, investment and cooperatives, Mrs Tayo Adeola, said the initiative was in line with the directive of President Bola Tinubu to the State Governors to prioritize food security as critical step in combating hunger across the country.

The Governor, explained that the state cultivated over 6,000 hectares of farmland in 2024, adding that the warehouse for storing food crops was a major challenge, hence the decision of his administration to provide storage facilities this year.

The facilities, according the Governor would help in regulating prices of food items in the eventuality of food scarcity.

While expressing his delight that a large chunk of the farm produce were bought from young farmers under the Bring Back Youth in Agriculture programme , the Governor assured that his administration remains committed to alleviating hunger and achieving food security in the state.

“We promised Ekiti State good governance and like you said we have been trying to work that talk. The President directed that each state should embark on strategy of food security and in Ekiti State in the last one year, we have started with phase one of a very deliberate attempt to ensure that we prow ourselves out of hunger, last year we cumulatively cultivated over 6,000 hectares of land in the state, all planted.

“Going forward, we want to ensure that, those crops that we buy from the youth, store them there and we will release to the market when there is increase in prices of food so that we can moderate prices”. The Governor stated .

In his own remarks, the Commissioner for Agriculture and food security, Mr Ebenezer Boluwade said that the goal is not only to tackle hunger but to also create opportunities for youth in agriculture.

While explaining that the initiative would ensure steady food supply throughout the year, Mr Boluwade said government would encourage farmers, particularly the youths in agriculture to increase production, knowing that their produce would not go to waste and government is willing and ready to buy from them.

The Nigeria Police Force has demanded an immediate retraction and public apology regarding a publication titled “Bloody August: Nigeria Government’s Violent Crackdown on and Bad Governance Protests” via a letter dated 6th January 2025, formally written to Amnesty International. In a statement, 

ACP  Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force PRO, Force Headquarters Abuja, said: ” The publication in question, which includes numerous unsubstantiated claims, falsely accuses the Nigeria Police of human rights violations, police brutality, and excessive violence during the August 2024 End Bad Governance protests.

Upon careful review and investigation, the NPF categorically rejects these baseless allegations, affirming that the claims are entirely false and without foundation.

The NPF emphasizes that during the protests, the Police acted with restraint and professionalism, even at the highest point of provocation and violent attacks, adhering to global best practices and using minimal force where necessary.

Evidence, including national media coverage, demonstrates the Police’s efforts to maintain law and order while safeguarding peaceful protesters. Criminal elements attempting to exploit the protests were, however, arrested and dealt with according to law.

The Nigeria Police Force strongly believes that this misleading publication undermines the trust and confidence it has worked diligently to build with Nigerian citizens and residents.

The Force further underscores that such false claims harm the reputation of the organization and demoralize its officers who risk their lives to protect the public.

In light of these falsehoods, the NPF has demanded that Amnesty International issue a formal retraction and public apology within seven days. Failure to comply will prompt the NPF to consider legal actions to protect its reputation.

The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to its duty of safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians, upholding the law, and earning the trust of the people it serves.