Information available to 247ureports.com through authoritative sources within the federal housing authority [FHA] in Abuja, the federal capital reveals wicked ongoing financial malpractices fermenting odorously within the executive offices of the FHA in cohorts with corrupt top politicians. Available information indicates the Managing Director [MD] of the FHA, Terver Gemade has engaged and continues to engage in grand scale [illegal] revocation of legally acquired plots of land and landed real estate – for resale to highly placed politicians and wealthy government officials.
According to sources, the practice has been an open secret in FHA and in the governing quarters in Abuja. However the corrupt deals within the FHA may have suffered a miscalculated error in its execution of a recent scheme conceived between the FHA and a company owned by the former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, ENL Consortium Limited [http://properties.enlconsortium.com].
According to the details of the scheme, the ENL and FHA were to partner in the development of 932 units of 7 different houses [including 5 bedroom semi detached duplex] – named Paradise Hills Estate in Gudu area of Apo village, Abuja. The FHA was to make available land while Tinubu’s company was to provide for the construction. Both entities would then share ownership of the estate when it is sold to middle income earners. [The housing estate is supposedly being built for the middle class who need affordable housing].
But beneath the surface lies the deceit.
Documentary evidence indicates that the supposed affordable housing which the MD of FHA, Terver Gemade professes to be the intent of the project – provided what many keen observers call a mere deceitful cover. Terver Gemade was said to have been approached by the former governor of Lagos, Bola Tinubu regarding a possible business opportunity in the booming real estate business in Abuja. Bola Tinubu was reported to have ‘encouraged’ the MD financially in exchange for the MD to make available additional plots of land to develop under the Paradise Hill Estate scheme. To this extent, the MD began moves to retrieve plots of land from unsuspecting individuals by moving from areas approved by AMAC for FHA into the areas approved for individuals to build residential structures.
See Figure 1 below which shows the official pictorial survey of the area in question – it shows also the demarcating stream between the areas reserved for Tinubu’s company and the ones reserved for individuals.
As alleged, financial inducements [or bribe] from Tinubu caused the MD of FHA to order for the construction work at the Paradise Hills Estate to move across the dividing stream by force to begin erecting new structures. The Minister of State [Finance], Dr. Yerima Lawan Ngama was also reported to have contributed financially. A source inside the FHA stated that N200million was given to the MD for a stake in the revoked area – across the stream. [It is noteworthy that FHA has no legal authority to revoke land ownership].
Threatened as to the actions of the FHA in partnership with Tinubu’s company – and the Finance Minister, the affected parties sought legal action against the FHA to halt forced takeover of their land and properties. An interlocutory injunction was filed and granted on April 23, 2012 at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in the Abuja Judicial Division Holden at Apo before his lordship Hon. Justice U. P. Kekemeke under motion number FCT/HC/M/8981/12 [See Figure 2a and 2b].
The injunction barred the FHA from continuing further construction at the aforementioned location. But the MD of FHA in tandem with Tinubu’s company ‘looked down’ on the stop work order and has continued work. A site visit by 247ureports.com on May 8, 2012 showed construction activities to be ongoing [See below].
Meanwhile, credible information obtained from principal sources at the FHA, the MD of FHA has utilized his position as the MD to turn the FHA into a land racketeering outfit for corrupt politicians. With only days into his appointment as the MD of the FHA, he scouted for the known land racketeers in Abuja – impressing on them to search out 40 plots of land at choice locations that he can revoke – using the authority and intimidating effect of his office. He was said to have demanded for the 40 plots of land because he was cash strapped at the time of his appointment to the position.
While in the process of acquiring the illegal 40 plots of land – which were legally belonging to individuals who were also in possession of their legal documentation showing their legal ownership of the piece of property – he ‘mistakenly’ came across the illegal schemes of another top official of the FHA – the former General Manager of the FHA, Malam Dangiyadi who had successfully revoked up to 100 plots of land at choice locations in Abuja. When Terver Gemade approached Dangiyadi, the two could not reach an understanding. Terver Gemade had wanted to share the booty – but the sharing formula was not conducive to Dangiyadi – so the supposed attempt at negotiation failed. And, in reaction, Terver Gemade abruptly announced the transfer of Dangiyadi to Abia State. But Dangiyadi refused and instead moved to Kaduna State where he now resides – and oversees his many properties in Abuja from a safe distance in Kaduna State.
The tussle between the two FHA top officials indirectly resulted in the launch of an investigation by the ICPC in December 2010 – after having a-tell-all petition from a lawyer [Barrister Ugochukwu] against the Terver Gemade. The ICPC investigation led to the suspension of Gemade from the FHA. But through the workings and pressures from Barnabas Gemade [brother to Terver Gemade] who was the then Chairman of the Board of Directors at the FHA – President Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan reverted the suspension and Terver Gemade returned to his position at the FHA.
The rot within the FHA has reported reached international levels – as a United States of America [USA] based outfit was recent duped of $4.5million by the top officials at the FHA – under the guise of a matching funds set up. The USA took the matter to court but the FHA pleaded with the foreign based outfit for out of court settlement.
It is unsure the extent the current leadership of the country is willing to go correct the ills inside the housing scheme in Abuja but 247ureports.com understands that the leadership [including the President and his wife] are benefactors of the rot. Available information reveals that the Federal Capital Territory [FCT] Minister, Malam Bala Mohammad has made available mind blowing plots of land at Apo to the first Lady [the President’s wife] – and have commenced construction of a row of luxurious apartment homes for the 1st lady. The FCT Minister is reported to have also provided uncles of the President with plots of land in Asokoro and Maitama. [Stay tuned for that report].
