By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has relaunched the war against developers that embark on projects in the territory without approval from the Department of Development Control.
The administration said henceforth, any land fraudster and unauthorised developer found will be arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.
The coordinator Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu stated this during the demolition of buildings without approval at Katampe extension and Guzape II, Monday.
He said most of the developers only come to Department of Development Control to open file, which after getting the file number, they continue with their buildings without completing the necessary procedures.
Shuaibu described the buildings without proper documents as fraudulent acts, which he said must not be allowed to continue in the city.
“The area is pruned to flooding and other environmental disaster. Any development in Abuja without approval or documents from the FCT Department of Development Control is fraudulent act. We have served relevant notices to the affected areas, and the time we gave them has elapsed that is why we started the demolition.
“Anybody found here that is responsible for this illegal development will be arrested and the person will face the law. Before we do any layout, we make sure there is provision for infrastructure.
“People will come to Development Control and submit file, after getting file number someone will go and start development in the name of approval, it is not every file that is submitted in Development Control that will be approved.
“There is no accessibility here, a layout must not have environmental degradation. No environmental assessment on the whole area, if we didn’t take urgent action there will be so many environmental degradation that will take place here.
“Those interested in buying houses and plots in Abuja must make sure that there is a proper allocation and building plan approval” he said.
The Director, Department of Development Control, Murktar Galadima said officials of the department will soon be deployed to areas demolished to guide against illegal development.
The demolition team was also led to Guzape II by the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the Minister of FCT, Ikharo Attah for demolition of more illegal structures.
He said: “The Minister of FCT Malam Muhammad Bello has given us matching order to remove those who are selling land illegally, those who are buying land from land grapers.
” This is very wrong here and the Minister is keen in getting this place corrected so we came in here after Katampe extension to come and remove those who bought land from locals.
“We are warning people to stop buying lands from the locals, the natives don’t have papers”
