The Federal Capital Territory Administration, through its Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, has vowed to reclaim land illegally occupied at the Institution and Research District of Abuja.
The Director Department of Development Control, Mr Mukthar Galadima, stated this during a stakeholder meeting with representatives of indigenous communities from Zhidu, Piwoyi, and Peace Village in Abuja.
Galadima explained that the department is committed to carrying out enforcement with a human face, hence the decision to invite Indigenous stakeholders from the three communities to inform them about the proposed removal of structures erected illegally in the district.
Speaking further, Galadima expressed concerns that the refusal of some illegal occupiers to vacate certain areas already allocated to a developer had deprived a legitimate Estate Developer at Zhidu axis of the Institution And Research District access to the land after collecting compensation from the developers.
“We have received a lot of complaints from the original land allottees that have title documents. Some of them have been compensated by the Estate Developer, yet the people refused to vacate the land”.
Galadima, who pointed out that the FCT Administration would not allow illegality to thrive, announced that the removal process will commence soon.
He further warned that no one is permitted to erect any structure without a building plan approval from the Department of Development Control.
Earlier, an AMMC Staff, Mr. Osita, clarified that the demolition would exclude the structures of indigenous people, while those of non-indigenous citizens without building approval from the Department of Development Control will be demolished.
Responding, some of the representatives of the communities thought that it was morally wrong for those who had received payments for compensation to remain in the area.
Also, the Majidadin Piwoyi, Mr. Seth Nuhu, the Legal Adviser to Piwoyi Palace Council, Dr Sylvanus Gbendazhi, and a resident, Mr Parisa Samuel explained that most of the structures currently being occupied by non-indigenous people in Piwoyi community were built by the natives for rent purposes in different locations of the village.
They also appealed to FCTA to desist from any form of enforcement that would cause tension to the residents and reallocate new Lands to developers not occupied by natives.
The FCTA Development Control Director, Mr. Galadima, and the three community representatives agreed that the area should be revisited for review, alongside the list of those who had been compensated, towards resolving the matter amicably.
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