/ 17 September 1999

NIGERIA REVOKES DODGY LAND GRANTS

THE Nigerian government on Wednesday agreed to revoke land grants made to leading members and supporters of the past two military governments, a top official said. The allocation of 42 plots of land located in the high-class Osborne district of Lagos by the late General Sani Abacha was against the law, said Information Minister Dapo Sarumi. Among those stripped of their land were 28 military personnel, including former head of state General Abdulsalami Abubakar, and his deputy Mike Akhigbe, the heads of 12 private companies and former finance minister Anthony Ani, Sarumi said. The land deals were revoked because the “plots were paid for from public fund,” the minister added.