By Admin
The Federal Capital Territory Administration through its Abuja Metropolitan Management Council has vowed to reclaim lands illegally occupied at the Institution and Research District of Abuja.
The Director Department Of Development Control, Mr Mukthar Galadima stated this during a Stakeholders meeting with representatives of indigenous communities from Zhidu, Piwoyi and Peace Villge in Abuja.
Galadima explained that the department is committed to carry out enforcement with human face, hence,the decision to invite indigenous stakeholders from the 3 communities to inform them about the the proposed identification and 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 Research And Institution District, access to the lands, even 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 processes will commence soonest.
He warned that no one is permitted to erect any structure without building plan approval from the Department of Development Control.
Earlier, AMMC Staff, Mr Osita, however 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 were of the opinion that it is morally wrong for those that had received payments for their compensation to remain in the same area.
Also, the Majidadin Piwoyi, Mr Seth Nuhu, the Legal Adviser to Piwoyi Palace Council, Dr Sylvanus Gbendazhi and indigenous residents 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 called on the FCTA to desist from any form of enforcement that will cause tension to the residents and reallocate new Lands to developers that have ancient communities occupied by natives.
The FCTA Development Control Director, Mr Galadima, and the trio community representatives agreed that the area should be revisited for review, along side the list of those that had been compensated, towards resolving the matter amicably.
