FG Begins Move to Seize Retirees’ Properties Over Unpaid Housing Loans

The Federal Government has initiated steps to seize properties from retired civil servants who defaulted on housing loan repayments, according to the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSHLB).

In a statement issued Thursday in Abuja, the Board’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Mrs. Ngozi Obiechina, disclosed that a list of affected retirees is being compiled as part of efforts to recover government-owned mortgaged properties. The Board’s Executive Secretary, Mrs. Salamatu Ahmed, said the move aligns with the terms of the loan agreements and provisions of the Public Service Rules.

The action follows a directive from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, which emphasized the mandatory requirement for all public servants to obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness from the FGSHLB and MDA Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society as a prerequisite for retirement.

Ahmed affirmed that the FGSHLB has the legal authority to repossess mortgaged properties from defaulters and reiterated that the directive applies to both retiring and already retired officers who are yet to clear their debts.

“The Board is currently compiling a list of such retirees, which will be forwarded to relevant regulatory agencies for debt recovery,” she stated. She also urged all affected civil servants to regularize their loan obligations and obtain the necessary clearance certificates without delay.

The FGSHLB emphasized its commitment to enforcing compliance and ensuring effective loan recovery in accordance with civil service regulations.