Mr. Success Obioma, the CEO of Praco International, a real estate firm, finds himself discontented for understandable reasons. Despite his diligent efforts to address the housing needs of Abuja residents, he has encountered fierce opposition from what he terms his persecutors. Allegedly, they have misled the FCT authorities into confiscating his land title deeds and, in some cases, demolishing his billion-naira properties.

This distressing situation, he observes, portrays the FCT as lawless, driving away genuine investors who seek to enhance infrastructure development in the capital.

Nevertheless, despite facing adversity, Obioma remains resolute in his mission to fulfill the housing needs of FCT residents by developing lands and managing properties for numerous clients.

In this interview, he elaborates on the challenging journey he undertakes to deliver high-quality housing. He also appeals fervently to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to return the lands forcefully taken from him, especially now that the court has ruled in his favor.

**Regarding conflicts with former FCT Ministers over land issues and legal vindication:**

"I don’t harbor any issues with any minister, past or present. The root of the problem lies within the system, with informants and advisors surrounding influential figures.

During the tenure of Mohammed Gana as FCT Minister, there was a necessity to streamline land records and allocations from the outset. Consequently, with approval from then-Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, a ministerial committee on land records and allocation was established.

I was summoned as a stakeholder in land acquisition, development, and property management within the FCT, as per a letter dated April 8, 2002, inviting me to appear before the committee on April 10, 2002."

**Pathway to redress**

As a law abiding citizen doing legitimate real estate business, I went ahead of time to know what I needed to attend the meeting with. I was given a check list of certificates that qualified me to do real estate business, ranging from primary to university level, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registrations, and the original titles to all the plots they claimed were owned by me and my clients.

All these documents were provided by me and they collected and made copies, and gave me acknowledgements dated April 10 and 12 respectively. I asked why they are keeping my originals, and they said no committee of that level would carry out such a huge and national assignment without seeing the original titles to the lands in question.

The membership of the committee comprised all departmental heads, directors and management staff of the FCTA because they were looking for fake documents as was being speculated by enemies of progress that I forged land documents to acquire lands. It gave me the opportunity to prove myself as an honest businessman.

There was nothing wrong with what Mohammed Abba Gana did. The committee did their job and wrote their report, which the next minister, Nasir El-Rufai attached to his petition to the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dated August 29, 2003.

Now, the problem as I said resides within the system. For the 20 years that I was humiliated, traumatised and prosecuted by the EFCC, they never tendered the report of that committee before any of the seven justices of the federal high court that handled the case, and nobody asked why.

For the 20 years that the matter lasted, they couldn’t produce one victim of my illegal land deals to testify. The only director they could bring to court said he didn’t know me as a land fraudster. He was only told to come and tender the ministerial approvals, numbering 17 pages from 1990 to 2001, when I acquired some plots for some people they said were perceived enemies of the government. The ministerial approval was dated November 19, 2001.

This happened to be the only ministerial approval remaining from the 17 copies recovered from me by the land committee. This made me to approach the court for an order to make the EFCC produce the ministerial approvals.

What the EFCC did was to write me a letter accepting that there were ministerial approvals to all the lands linked to me, but till date, the FCTA refused to produce them. So, I don’t have anything against Abba Gana, he set up the committee to set the records straight. El-Rufai didn’t do anything wrong by coming after me based on the information given to him about me. His actions drew me closer to God. It was God and God alone that delivered me from the level of conspiracy and actions taken by enemies of progress and after 20 years, God vindicated me. I thank El-Rufai and the EFCC for making me realise that a man is alone, no matter his gregariousness. None of the big names I had as friends was able to rescue me because the strategy adopted was such that it made me look contagious and those associated with me were scared.

**Suing Wike for damages and going against the court order**

The FCT minister should not be taken to court; instead, those who misled him should face legal action to reclaim the lands they fraudulently obtained and return them to their rightful owners. It is essential to curb the wave of demolitions to prevent investors from losing interest in the FCT. Personally, I have no issues with Wike, as he is still in office. There are steps he could take to expose corrupt individuals and their collaborators within the system. For instance, he could publish the 2002 committee report, revealing the authenticity of the documents seized from me to the public. Additionally, he could investigate how my activities were scrutinized and my documents verified by the committee members who are still in service.

Moreover, Wike, as a lawyer, should carefully examine the federal high court judgment to understand that the EFCC and their collaborators failed to substantiate their claims against me. The courts upheld their integrity by delivering a fair verdict. Through divine intervention, I successfully defended myself and provided irrefutable evidence in my favor.

Wike must acknowledge that the restoration of my title documents followed due process, and he should release or restore the remaining seized documents. Personally, I rely on divine guidance, and if directed by God through the minister, I am willing to take appropriate action.

Regarding threats to my life, individuals whose properties have not been restored have issued threats. Many have waited since 2003, questioning why their documents have not been returned despite my acquittal by a competent court. They falsely accuse me of selling their properties.

Despite being abroad, I am prepared to suspend my current activities and return if the minister requires my assistance in resolving the confusion caused by the demolitions.