The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Wednesday stormed River Park Estate, Abuja, demolishing about 35 substructures for alleged planning violations and defiance of a ministerial directive that undeveloped plots in the estate be reclaimed by the government.
Leading the enforcement team, Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, accused developers of flouting orders despite the withdrawal of their lease agreements.
He revealed that some of them continued building round the clock in a bid to outsmart the directive.
“About a week ago, two committees submitted their reports to the Honourable Minister, one of which addressed issues surrounding the River Park Estate development. One of the recommendations was that all undeveloped plots within the estate be reverted back to the FCT Administration,” Galadima said.
“We received reports that some developers were working day and night to develop these plots. We served them notice to stop work, but they continued. That is why we are removing the excavations and structures,” he added.
On allegations linking Paulo Homes to the development, Galadima explained that the legal secretariat would issue clarification but confirmed that the Development Lease Agreement (DLA) for the affected plots had expired.
He warned that repeat offenders risk prosecution.
The ad-hoc committee on River Park Estate, chaired by Salmon Dako, had earlier advised FCT Minister Nyesom Wike that revocation of the undeveloped plots was necessary due to expired DLAs, breaches, and the need to reassert administrative control under Clause 9.2 of the DLA.
However, landholders with “customary” titles who complied with planning rules were allowed to retain their plots.
One affected resident, Chimdi Obiwe, decried the demolition, lamenting the toll it has taken on his family.
“My fence was demolished, and now I cannot access our cars. We are all packed out. This has caused immense difficulty for my family,” he said.
