Military and paramilitary veterans who served in various operations, including ECOMOG, Operation Zaman Lafiya and Operation Pulo Shield, have cautioned the Nigerian Army against what they described as an alleged attempt to encroach on land legally allocated to them in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The veterans, who are beneficiaries of a welfare housing scheme coordinated through a Special Purpose Vehicle known as the Special Vehicle Plant (SVP) Trust Scheme, accused officials linked to the Army of trespassing on their land and commencing construction activities on the property.

Insisting that Nigeria remains a country governed by the rule of law under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the veterans, who spoke through their representatives, a retired Army General who doesn’t want his name mentioned expressed concern over what they described as attempts by some officials to encroach on land legally allocated to former servicemen under a veterans’ welfare scheme.

They stressed that as individuals who once defended the territorial integrity of the nation, they expect institutions of government, including the military, especially the Army to respect lawful agreements, court decisions, and property rights.

The group therefore urged the leadership of the Nigerian Army to ensure that all actions concerning the disputed land strictly comply with the law and existing judicial pronouncements.

According to them, adherence to the rule of law is critical to maintaining public confidence in the military and protecting the rights of veterans who sacrificed for the country.

They further called on relevant authorities to intervene and ensure that justice prevails while promoting peaceful resolution of the dispute.

The disputed land, identified as Plot 2303 in Asokoro Cadastral Zone A04, shares boundaries with military lands, including plots belonging to the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force.

According to the veterans, investigations revealed that they funded the clearing, survey and charting of the land, which was later formally recognised as Plot 2303 and allocated to the SVP under a trust arrangement to coordinate the development of a veterans’ housing scheme.

Under the arrangement, the SVP was responsible for site planning, subdivision of the land, allocation to individual veterans, and processing of Right of Occupancy documents through the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

They explained that all beneficiaries opened individual land application files with the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and obtained official acknowledgements before the issuance of land offers in 2015.

The veterans further stated that the scheme complied with all regulatory requirements, securing approvals from relevant departments within the FCDA and paying about ₦400 million as part payment for statutory ground rents demanded by the FCTA.

However, they alleged that officials linked to the Nigerian Army have recently encroached on Plot 2303, which was approved for the veterans’ welfare housing project.
In a petition addressed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, the veterans urged the government to intervene and prevent what they described as an illegal takeover of the land.

According to the group, the Nigerian Army was allocated Plot 2302, measuring about 248 hectares, from a larger parcel of approximately 640 hectares originally designated for military formations and barracks development in the Asokoro area.

They noted that the land behind Mogadishu Cantonment was planned by the government primarily for barracks and accommodation for military personnel.

The veterans also stated that the allocation of Plot 2303 to them was approved following a request presented to the then Head of State, General Sani Abacha, in recognition of the role played by Nigerian troops during the liberation of Sierra Leone from the Revolutionary United Front rebels under the ECOMOG mission.

Beneficiaries under the scheme, they said, had already fulfilled statutory obligations, including the payment of significant ground rents.

However, the veterans alleged that officials of Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL) and other individuals attempted to merge Plot 2303 belonging to the veterans with the adjoining Plot 2302 belonging to the Army.

They further claimed that a Memorandum of Understanding was subsequently entered into with developers to build “modern affordable homes” on the site, with projected selling prices ranging between ₦81 million and ₦125 million per unit.

According to the petitioners, construction activities on the disputed land reportedly began on December 24, 2025, despite earlier approvals granted by the FCDA for the veterans’ housing scheme.

They added that a certain level of infrastructure already developed on the land, including access roads and other utilities based on the FCDA approvals, has been affected by the ongoing construction work.

The veterans also linked the dispute to what they described as a broader pattern of alleged mismanagement of Army land in the Asokoro area.

They alleged that Plot 2302, originally approved for Army barracks and now partly known as Tinubu Barracks Phase 1, was intended to accommodate additional barracks development in a proposed Phase 2 project.

However, the group claimed that portions of the Army land were later sold to institutions, estate developers and private individuals during the tenure of a one time well respected Chief of Army staff who is now retired, contrary to the approved land-use designation.

According to the petitioners, out of the approximately 248 hectares allocated to the Army within the area, only about 30 hectares were reportedly used for barracks development, while the remaining portions were allegedly diverted and sold through Nigerian Army Properties Limited.

They also accused the Managing Director of NAPL of overseeing the continued sale of parts of the Army land Plot 2302 to developers and private buyers with the involvement of a civilian intermediary working for the Army Properties Limited.

The veterans argued that the alleged diversion of the Army’s land may have led to attempts to encroach on adjoining plots, including their welfare housing scheme.

They therefore called on the FCT Minister to urgently halt all construction activities on the disputed land and enforce earlier approvals granted to the veterans’ housing project.

The group also demanded the establishment of a high-powered commission of inquiry to investigate the alleged misappropriation and sale of Army lands in the Asokoro area.
In addition, the veterans urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe individuals allegedly involved in the diversion or sale of the Army land.

Efforts to obtain official responses from the Nigerian Army and the Federal Capital Territory Administration were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.