The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Thursday demolished no fewer than 11-storey buildings consisting of three and four-bedroom flats in the Apo-Dutse area of Abuja.
According to the Director, Department of Development Control, FCTA, Mr. Mukhtar Galadima, the demolition became necessary following the developer’s persistent disregard for building regulations and repeated failure to comply with official communications and stop-work notices.
Galadima explained that the estate’s location posed serious risks, as it was directly under a high-tension power line and obstructed the site of a proposed bridge project by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
“This is a statutorily allocated plot. The developers requested and applied for building plan approval, but we declined because the site is too close to a high-tension line and a stream channel,” he said. “Despite our refusal, they went ahead with construction. We served notices from the excavation stage through various stages of development and even communicated in writing that the work should be stopped. Unfortunately, they ignored all directives.”
The FCTA official added that the Engineering Department of the FCDA had formally notified the Development Control Department about the planned bridge construction in the area, making the demolition unavoidable.
“There’s nothing we can do about this,” Galadima stated.
He clarified that no compensation would be paid for the demolished structures since the developers had no valid building approval. “Compensation is only given to property owners who have approval and are affected by government projects. In this case, there was none,” he said.
Galadima also hinted at possible prosecution of the defaulting developers, saying they may be compelled to bear the full cost of the demolition as well as other penalties for violating urban development laws.
