The Federal Capital Territory Administration, has expressed concern over the refusal of illegal occupiers to vacate areas legally allocated to estate developers.
Of particular concern to the administration is the Institution and Research District of Abuja, where indigenous persons have continued to occupy some areas even after receiving compensation for such lands.
Director Department of Development Control, Mukthar Galadima, who disclosed this during a stakeholders meeting with representatives of indigenous communities from Zhidu, Piwoyi, and Peace Villge, said the FCTA will reclaim all land illegally occupied at the Institution and Research District.
Galadima explained that the department is committed to carrying out enforcement with human face, hence, the decision to invite indigenous stakeholders from the 3 communities to inform them about the proposed removal of structures erected illegally in the district.
According to the director, some illegal occupiers have refused to vacate certain areas already allocated to a developer, thereby depriving 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 allotees that has 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 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.
Some representatives of the communities were of the opinion that it is morally wrong for those who had received payments for compensation to remain in the area.
Also, the Majidadin Piwoyi, Seth Nuhu, the Legal Adviser to Piwoyi Palace Council, Dr Sylvanus Gbendazhi, and a resident, 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 will 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 that had been compensated, towards resolving the matter amicably.
