Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation, has raised a serious concern regarding the illegal occupation of its property in Sabon Lugbe East Layout, Abuja, and the threat to the lives of its workers by land grabbers.
The property, which measures approximately 7,363.81 square meters, is located at Plot 485, Cadastral Zone 07-07 in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In separate petitions sent to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, the company has accused land grabbers of forcefully encroaching on the property and using violence and intimidation to claim ownership.
The petitions, signed by the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Victor Ifijeh, highlight the company’s legal ownership of the land, supported by a Deed of Assignment executed with Platinum Ventures Ltd.
According to Ifijeh, the company has peacefully possessed the land for over 18 years, until the recent invasion by land grabbers.
Details of the Land Ownership
Vintage Press Limited’s legal claim to the property is substantiated by multiple documents. The land was originally allotted to Dekor Ventures by the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) on March 11, 1998, and later reallocated to Platinum Ventures Ltd in 2003 by the Federal Capital Territory Ministry. In 2007, the company entered into an agreement to acquire the land from Platinum Ventures Ltd and paid for the recertification of the Certificate of Occupancy with the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS).
Despite this legitimate acquisition, Vintage Press Limited was shocked when land grabbers, armed with weapons, forcefully took over the land in March 2024, chasing away the security personnel and threatening to kill or maim anyone who returned to the site.
Threats and Intimidation
In his petition, Ifijeh described the threatening actions of the land grabbers, who boasted about their connections with law enforcement agencies in Abuja, asserting that there was nothing anyone could do to stop them.
“They boasted of having ‘close connection’ with every law enforcement agency in Abuja and that there is nothing anybody can do to them. This is appalling and unheard of in the city of power and a country regulated by law,” Ifijeh said.
He called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and DSS Director-General to urgently investigate the criminal activities of the land grabbers and their alleged connections to law enforcement officers.
He also requested increased security coverage for Vintage Press Limited, given the nature of its business and the serious threats posed by the land grabbers.
Documentation of the Acquisition
Vintage Press Limited has provided supporting documents that demonstrate the legitimacy of its ownership. These include the Deed of Assignment between the company and Platinum Ventures Ltd, the Certificate of Occupancy, and payment receipts for the recertification of the land title. The company has also paid the Statutory Right of Occupancy fee, which was raised by the FCT Administration in April 2024.
Despite these efforts to regularize the land’s title, the ongoing violence and intimidation by the land grabbers have prevented the company from accessing its property.
In light of the ongoing threats and the illegal occupation of its property, Ifijeh has called on the relevant authorities to investigate the land grabbing cartel and their possible connections to the FCT Administration. He emphasized that the situation is a serious matter that undermines the rule of law and the safety of citizens.
“This is a clear case of land grabbing and criminal activity. We urge the authorities to take swift action and bring the perpetrators to justice,” he stated.