Wike Dismisses Pastor’s Plea, Insists Jabi Lake Action Will Continue

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has insisted that ongoing government action at Jabi Lake will go ahead as planned, despite public appeals for a rethink.

Wike spoke in Abuja on Wednesday while reacting to a viral video in which the Senior Pastor of Family Worship Centre, Serah Omaku, knelt during a church service, urging authorities not to repossess land linked to the popular recreational area.

The minister said the intervention was driven by law and urban planning priorities, stressing that sentiment would not influence decisions concerning public assets.

“I’m not carried away by such emotions. Begging to do what? Who owns Jabi Lake?” he said, dismissing claims that any individual or organisation could lay ownership to the site.

He explained that the area had originally been allocated to a private developer for an entertainment project but had instead been turned into makeshift structures that fall short of approved standards.

“That place was given to a company that said they wanted to turn it into an entertainment place, but they have turned it into shanties,” Wike said, noting that the situation had raised safety concerns and undermined the value of nearby investments.

According to him, the allocation has now been revoked, with plans underway to hand over the land to investors capable of delivering proper development in line with the city’s master plan.

“We will reallocate the land with clear conditions. If there is no development within the specified time, we will take it back,” he said.

Addressing the pastor’s plea directly, Wike maintained that the decision would not be reversed. “If she likes, let her call God to come down. What is my business?” he added, reiterating that the land is government property meant to serve the broader public interest.

The minister disclosed that several plots around Jabi Lake, originally designated for high-end projects, had remained undeveloped for years and gradually degenerated into informal settlements.

He said the current move is part of wider efforts by the FCT Administration to enforce development timelines and curb land speculation in Abuja.

“You must sign to develop within a given period. If you fail, the land returns to government. It is as simple as that,” he said.

Wike, however, rejected suggestions that the action would limit public access to the lake, explaining that only abandoned or misused plots were being targeted.

“We are not taking anything from the public. We are reclaiming land from those who failed to do what they were supposed to do or who converted it to unauthorised uses,” he said.

He also warned against altering approved land use, saying the administration would continue to enforce planning regulations to restore order and attract investment to the capital.