Insecurity: FCTA To Shut Down Hotels In Residential Areas

Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through the department of Abuja Metropolitan Management Agency (AMMC) has threatened to shut down or revoke title documents of hotels operating in residential areas in the FCT, after the expiration of a two-week ultimatum given to them.

AMMC coordinator, Mr Umar Shuiabu, while issuing the threat during a press conference yesterday, explained that the renewed clamp down against erring hotels, guest houses, motels, among others in the FCT, was to help curb insecurity in the nation’s capital.

Shuiabu while regretting that these unregistered hospitality facilities provided avenues for criminal elements to hide and perpetrate their crimes, insisted that all hotels, and the likes, must henceforth profile all their guests and liaise with relevant security agencies to nip the crimes and criminalities in the bud.

“The FCTA has observed with great concern that some random persons altered their land use from the initial approved purpose to hospitality purposes, many of these contraventions are residential quarters that were converted to hotels, brothels, etc. These constitute security challenges in the entire territory.

“Also identified is that many criminal elements disguise themselves and check into some of these hospitality services as guests and hide out before and after carrying out their nefarious activities.

“These property owners are operating hotels without following the appropriate procedure of acquiring all necessary approvals from the relevant agencies of the FCT administration,” he said.