Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has waived all Certificate of Occupancy, C-of-O, fees for the Nigerian Law School campus in Bwari, ordering that the document be processed and delivered within one week.
The directive came after the Minister expressed shock that the institution had operated for years without formal land documentation, starting that such situations is what the current administration is moving to correct.
Responding to a request by the Director-General of the school, Dr. Olugbemisola Titilayo Odusote, Wike instructed the Director of Lands to “waive all processing fees” and fast-track issuance of the C-of-O, warning that regularising the land was necessary to move the school from what he termed an “illegal session” to proper ownership.
Beyond the documentation issue, Wike declared an “emergency” on staff housing and critical infrastructure at the campus, citing pressure on existing facilities.
He disclosed that 10 staff quarters had already been completed and would be commissioned as part of projects lined up for the third anniversary of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He also approved the construction of an additional 10 units using existing prototypes to reduce costs and speed up delivery.
The Minister said two hostels, one for male students and another for female students, are currently under construction to address overcrowding, while funding has also been approved for a new auditorium.
The minister also queried the delay in contractor mobilisation and ordered immediate action.
As part of efforts to modernise operations, Wike directed the school to work with the FCTA General Counsel to explore digitisation options, drawing parallels with ongoing reforms at the FCT High Court.
Wike said the measures align with efforts by the Tinubu administration to strengthen legal education and judicial infrastructure, including the construction of “presidential apartments” for judges.
“Anything we can do to help our children, we are willing to do that,” he said, stressing that staff housing at the Law School must be treated as an emergency project to ensure rapid delivery.
Earlier, Odusote commended ongoing infrastructure development in the FCT while drawing attention to the Law School’s infrastructure gaps and operational challenges in Bwari.
