The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) has vowed to demolish structures at Zhidu, Piwoyi, and Peace villages that were illegally occupied at the Institution and Research District of Abuja.
FCTA’s Director, Department of Development Control, Mr Mukthar Galadima, stated this during a stakeholders’ meeting with representatives of the communities.
Galadima explained that the department is committed to carrying out enforcement with a human face, hence the decision to invite indigenous stakeholders from the three communities to inform them about the proposed removal of structures erected illegally in the district.
The director expressed concerns that the refusal of some illegal occupiers to vacate certain areas already allocated to a developer had deprived a legitimate Estate Developer at Zhidu axis of the Institution and Research District access to the land after collecting compensation from the developers.
“We have received a lot of complaints from the original land allottees that have title documents. Some of them have been compensated by the estate developer, yet the people refused to vacate the land,” he said.
Galadima, who pointed out that the FCT administration would not allow illegality to thrive, announced that the removal process would commence soon.
He warned that no one is permitted to erect any structure without a building plan approval from the Department of Development Control.
Earlier, an AMMC Staff, Mr Osita, clarified that the demolition would exclude the structures of indigenous people, while those of non – indigenous citizens without building approval from the Department of Development Control will be demolished.
Responding, some of the representatives of the communities were of the opinion that it was morally wrong for those who had received payments for compensation to remain in the area.
Also, the Majidadin Piwoyi, Mr Seth Nuhu, the Legal Adviser to Piwoyi Palace Council, Dr Sylvanus Gbendazhi and a resident, Mr Parisa Samuel, explained that most of the structures currently being occupied by non-indigenous people in the community were built by the natives for rent purposes in different locations of the village.
They also appealed to FCTA to desist from enforcement that would cause tension to the residents and reallocate new lands to developers not occupied by natives.
Galadima, and the three community representatives agreed that the area should be revisited for review, alongside the list of those that had been compensated, towards resolving the matter amicably.
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