The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Wednesday intensified its enforcement operations at River Park Estate, Abuja, halting what it described as illegal development on the property.
The Director, Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, who led the operation, said the exercise targeted those defying a ministerial directive suspending further construction at the estate.
He recalled that on August 8, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, inaugurated an ad-hoc committee to review controversies surrounding River Park Estate. The committee, in its report, recommended the revocation of undeveloped plots due to expiration and breach of the Development Lease Agreement (DLA) in line with Clause 9.2.
Galadima explained that while the committee permitted holders of valid customary titles who had developed their plots in compliance with planning regulations to retain them, all others were revoked in accordance with a subsisting court judgment.
“We are here to ensure total compliance with the ministerial directive that no development should be allowed in River Park Estate,” he said. “Despite previous warnings, we received reports of fresh construction, which is why we rushed to stop it and remove the structure.”
He added that the department is working with the FCT Legal Secretariat to initiate legal action against violators, stressing that no individual or developer is above the law.
“Maybe there is a perception that the developer can do as he pleases, but nobody is above government. We have done the kinetic aspect; now we are pursuing the legal option to ensure this does not recur,” Galadima said.
He confirmed that the developer had been fully informed of the stop-work directive through the ministerial committee’s findings and public notices, adding that all vacant plots would revert to the FCTA.
The director noted that the next steps would be determined after consultations with the Legal Secretariat.
The FCTA had earlier in September stopped development on more than 30 substructures at the estate for violating planning regulations.
