By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has called on owners of undeveloped Apo-Dutse land to immediately commence the development or risk revocation.
This is coming on the sideline of the ongoing demolition of shanties at the area which was taken over by the scrap dealers popularly called babanbola in the area for years.
The Apo-Dutse scrap dealers market is reported to be the largest scrap market in Abuja and North Central Nigeria.
Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the minister of FCT, Ikharo Attah during the resumption of the demolition on Friday, said the undeveloped plots of land are suspected to be providing a cover for illegal activities.
He said owners of the plots should immediately proceed to the Department of Development Control to get their building plan approval and commence development.
Attah warned that the Administration would have no option than to revoke the titles to the plots, if the owners fail to take over the reclaimed lands.
According to him, the place had been infiltrated by all manners of dangerous criminals, hence the need to demolish it, that it was regrettable that original allottees had kept the land with the intentions to make more money.
He further advised those who are interested in Pantaker business to move to Gosa Dumpsites, and not relocate to other illegal places.
Attah said, ” What we have advised and would use this medium to notify plot owners within this area to report themselves immediately to Development Control to obtain building plan approval and commence building on their plots of land.
” If they fail to do so we will be left with no option, but to write and recommend to the Minister for the revocation of all land titles, because we cannot suffer in vain clearing this place for this numbers of days, and the owners will sit down to speculate, waiting for when they will make big money.
” What we are telling them, is that the owners of this expanse of land housing tge Apo-Dutse Pantaker should commence development or it will be revoked and given to those who are ready to develop.
“We have advised the operators of Pantaker to move to Gosa Dumpsites. As they keep going to the wrong places, we will continue to go after them.
“To avoid criminalities in the scrap market, we have also advised them to move to the permanent site and develop internal mechanisms to stop criminals from infiltrating them”, he added.
