Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed emotional pleas over the future of Abuja’s Jabi Lake, maintaining that government decisions will be guided strictly by due process and the broader public interest.
Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike responded to an appeal by Sarah Omakwu, senior pastor of the Family Worship Centre, who had urged him to halt plans to allocate the Jabi Lake recreational area for private development.
Omakwu, in a video posted on Instagram, had knelt while pleading with the minister not to hand over the facility to private investors.
Reacting to the appeal, Wike said such emotional gestures would not influence government policy, stressing that the land belongs to the government and must be used in the interest of all residents.
According to him, the current administration inherited a poorly managed arrangement at the site, where a company held the land for over 15 years without delivering meaningful development.
He explained that the area had deteriorated into makeshift structures, raising concerns about safety and its suitability for tourism or hospitality.
The minister confirmed that the previous allocation had been revoked and would be reassigned to investors with the capacity to properly develop the site. He added that new allocations would come with strict timelines and conditions, warning that failure to meet development targets would lead to another revocation.
Wike also dismissed any claims of personal ownership over the lake, reiterating that it remains government property meant to serve the collective good.
He further warned against illegal developments, citing instances where individuals allegedly built structures, including religious centres, on land designated for recreational use, stressing that such violations would not be tolerated.
