Land racketeering: Wike tasks judiciary on indiscriminate issuance of injunctions

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, has appealed to the judiciary to look into the indiscriminate issuance of injunctions against the FCT Administration on land racketeering and other matters.

Wike made the appeal when a delegation of the FCT Judiciary led by the FCT Chief Judge, Justice Husseini Yusuf, visited him in his office in Abuja on Thursday.

He lamented the sharp practises going on in the FCT, sometimes in collusion with some staff of the FCT Administration, adding that judges were also complicating issues with indiscriminate injunctions.

He added that the racketeering in FCT was getting out of hand and urged the chief judge to look into it.

“We appeal to you; so many things are happening in FCT, so many things. With the kind of sharp practises going on in FCT and the collaboration with the staff of FCT,

“They go to court and get all kinds of injunctions without even us getting the services, and before you know it, there are judgements.

“We are not blaming you; after all, your own is based on facts presented to you, but we are trying to change all that now because the land racketeering in FCT is getting out of hand.

“You see injunction here, injunction there, injunction in the next two minutes; injunction in the next five minutes; injunction in 30 minutes; it is unprecedented. Some of them even go outside to Kuje.

“We want to bring this to your attention so that you can look into it. That is not the best,” he said.

The minister commended the Chief Judge for the stability of the FCT Judiciary and the cordial relationship between the FCTA and the judiciary and stressed the need to strengthen working harmony.

He promised to improve the welfare of judges in the FCT judiciary, particularly in the area of accommodation.

According to him, providing a conducive environment for the people charged with the responsibility of fighting corruption, like judges, will significantly help in the fight against corruption.

Responding, Justice Yusuf assured the minister that he would address the problem of the indiscriminate issuance of injunctions.

He noted that the judiciary was part of the government and should be doing things that would make the government work.

“We are aware that you have started taking action to ensure sanity is brought into the land administration in the FCT.

“On my end, I have issued a directive to the judges in charge of my judicial division that all cases involving FCT will be assigned by the Chief Judge.

“Even where such cases are filed within the division, they are returned to the Chief Judge so that I can assign them. This will enable me to keep track of where such cases have gone.

“I want to assure you that the era of that kind of mistake is gone; I want to assure you once more that we will do our best within the ambit of the law to ensure you succeed,” he said.

He explained that the visit was to congratulate the minister and assured him of the support of the FCT judiciary.