By Lizzy Chirkpi

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate dissolution of the Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC) on the Alienation of Federal Government Properties, transferring all its responsibilities to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

The directive was announced on Thursday in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

According to the statement, all matters previously handled by the committee will henceforth be coordinated by the Attorney General.

“All matters previously handled by the Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC) on the Alienation of Federal Government Properties will now be coordinated by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN),” the statement read.

The Presidential Implementation Committee was established in 2000 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to oversee the sale, lease and other forms of alienation of Federal Government landed assets under the Federal Government’s monetisation policy.

Its membership included the Minister of Housing as chairperson, representatives of the Federal Ministries of Transportation, Justice, Health and Agriculture, as well as the Nigeria Police Force. Professor P.T. Ahire served as its pioneer secretary, while other members were drawn from both the public and private sectors.

The Presidency recalled that on March 22, 2001, the Federal Executive Council approved the establishment of a Panel of Inquiry to produce a White Paper that would guide the implementation of the committee’s recommendations. The panel completed its assignment after 21 months and submitted its report.

Explaining the rationale for the committee’s dissolution, the Presidency said it had outlived the purpose for which it was established.

According to the statement, the committee’s activities had expanded beyond its original mandate, resulting in multiple legal disputes across the country.

“The PIC’s activities had extended beyond its original mandate, leading to multiple litigations across the country. As a result, its continued existence is no longer justified,” the statement said.

President Tinubu directed that the dissolution takes effect retrospectively from November 5, 2025, with the Attorney General assuming responsibility for all pending and future matters relating to the committee’s mandate.

The President also directed the committee’s former Secretary, B. S. Dutsin-Ma, to immediately cease representing the committee or the Federal Government on matters relating to the alienation of Federal Government properties.

The decision is expected to centralise the management of all legal and administrative issues relating to the sale and disposal of Federal Government assets under the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.