FCTA demolishes over 30 illegal structures at River Park Estate

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has halted the development of more than 30 substructures at the River Park Estate, near Lugbe area of Abuja for allegedly violating planning regulations.

FCTA officials who carried out an enforcement exercise yesterday, accused the affected developers of going ahead with construction despite the withdrawal of their lease agreement and recommendations by a ministerial committee that all undeveloped plots in the estate be reverted to the FCTA.

According to the Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, who led enforcement officers to the site on Wednesday, the action followed reports that developers were working day and night to beat the ministerial directive.

He said: “About a week ago there was an event at the Honourable Minister’s office where two committees submitted their report.

“One of the committees was on issues surrounding the River Park estate development. And one of the recommendations being forwarded was that all undeveloped plots within the estates be reverted back to FCT Administration.

“So we got a report that certain developers are hurriedly working day and night to see that they have developed some of the vacant plots. So what we do as an agency, we served them notice to stop work.

“This morning we came, we saw them working, then that’s why we are removing the structures. The excavations and all those structures put on ground.”

He disclosed that over 30 foundations had already been dug but insisted they would be covered. “Whoever we see on site, we remove it.

“So, this is just the beginning. Luckily, they are just at excavation level, but wherever we see any new development coming up, we will remove it,” he warned.

On claims that Paulo Homes was behind the development, Galadima said the matter would be clarified by the legal secretariat. “From the report submitted from the work of the committee, it’s like one, there was a development lease agreement which has already expired”, he explained.

He added that further illegal building attempts would not be tolerated.

“Over 30 foundations have been excavated, so we’re going to cover them all. Should there be an erection again, then there’s going to be removal again,” he said, noting that prosecution could follow.

“That’s why I said legal secretariat is in the better position to know the next line of action. There could be prosecution. Definitely, we’re expecting that people will cry out”, he stressed.

As expected, some residents said they were already bearing the brunt of the crisis.

An affected resident, Pastor Chimdi Obiwe, who lives in the adjoining Ciarudi area, said he had been denied access to his home and lost part of his property.

“I was stopped from accessing my house for a long time. Because of these things they are doing here, the exit they gave us, they suddenly blocked it.

“And you see my children, how we had to go through that kind of detail. My fence was demolished. Now I can’t access our cars, we are all packed out. So that was the problem”, he lamented.

It could be recalled that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had on August 8, 2025, inaugurated an ad-hoc committees on the review of controversies surrounding the River Park Estate.

Also, the Barr. Salman Dako’s led committee while submitting its reports to the minister last week, explained that the revocation of the undeveloped plots was necessitated by the expiration and breach of the DLA and the need to reassert administrative control over the affected plot in line with clause 9.2 of the DLA.

The committee however, directed that holders of previous “customary” titles whose plots fall within the Riverpark Estate boundaries and who have developed in accordance with applicable planning and development control regulations, “be permitted to retain their titles.

“The recommendation aligns with the subsisting court
judgment referenced in paragraph 16.3.”