The officials of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have arrested an illegal developer for acquiring, building, selling of lands and property that contravene the land act at Katampe extension area of Abuja.
The Coordinator Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu on Friday, told journalists that the arrest followed failure of the developer, who identified himself as El- Samuel, Managing Director of New World Smart Homes, to consult the Department of Development Control for approval before development.
He described the building and selling of the lands without consent of the constituted authorities as high level of illegality being perpetrated by some developers who obtained lands in the Federal Capital City and are using the documents to fraudulently sell unapproved land to people, defrauding them of their money in disguise.
Shuaibu explained that the AMMC approved plot 17,543ha of plot 3173B19 at Katampe extension District to the Sahara Developer only, not any other developer.
The coordinator revealed that it site officers and several inspections showed that the developer had obstinately continued to develop other adjoining lands without the FCTA’s approval.
“The information we gathered from our site officers and several visits to confirm the reports revealed that the Developer had obstinately continued to develop other adjoining lands without the FCTA’s approval. When we approached him, they cunningly presented documents of the approved side for the processing of the unapproved side of the area.
“FCT Land Acts does not condone the contravention of its Land use. Then the riot laws were read to them but these developers have refused all invitations to bring their original documents, they have deviated from the stipulated building plan approval”
He regretted that when officials of the AMMC approached the alleged fraudulent developer, he presented documents of the approved side for the processing of the unapproved side of the area.
Shuaibu said the metropolitan council had placed more other developers suspected to be involved in illegal development on its watchlist.
The alleged fraudulent developer pleaded not guilty: “we have not started development, we only cleared the site and commence work to know the title holder before going for real approval, and this was done through the consent of our lawyer” El – Samuel alleged.
The suspect has been handed over to the police for further investigation.
