Kyami: 25 Buildings demolished over land use infractions

By Stanley Onyekwere

For allegedly abusing the Abuja Master Plan, no fewer than 25 buildings were demolished in Kyami District, by the Development Control Department of the FCT Administration (FCTA).
This exercise was on the heels of the removal of illegal structures located behind Dunamis Church, allegedly being handled by four developers: Seman Metropolis Estate, Excellent Mega City, St. Michael Villa and Hadassan Estate, in Lugbe, barely two weeks ago.
It was gathered that both exercises, the developers were alleged to have neither allocation papers nor development plan approval to embark on such developments.
Director of the Department, Muktar Galadima, who led the exercise on Tuesday, reiterated that the FCTA would never condone land racketeering and grabbing, hence would ensure correction of all infractions and abuses of the Abuja Master Plan.
“The FCT Administration has already made it clear that the actions and activities of land racketeers cannot and will never be condoned. That’s why we are removing all those illegal developments.
“About 25 solid structures were removed, and this is not limited to that estate (Destiny Estate) alone, it’s a continuous exercise and we will remove all illegal structures across the Territory.
“So, what you see here is a continuation of the exercise in tackling the issue of land racketeers and land grabbers in Abuja,” he stressed.
Galadima warns that: “As always, we strongly advise the public to always ensure compliance and obey the rules and regulations guiding developments in the nation’s capital.
“Abuja is a planned city and you cannot just wake up, cut a chunk of land for yourself and be selling or building for whatever purpose. We will find out and we will surely remove such illegalities and also punish those involved.”
Similarly, the Director also issued a 14-day ultimatum to occupants of an illegal building materials market on N16 road corridor in Karsana district, near Gwarinpa district.
According to him, government was desirous of commencing construction on the road but because of its human face, his team was at the market to first sensitizez the traders and find a peaceful way of removing the the market without tears.
He further added, “Because of the magnanimity of this Administration, we first of all had to sit down with them, tell them the mission and give them room to also make contributions regarding the intended exercise.
“So we told them we would return in a week’s time, but they pleaded for more time, they asked for one month to take out their materials and valuables, but that one month is too long a time, so we agreed on two weeks.”
Warning that his bulldozers would remove all structures in the market at expiration of the ultimatum, except indigenous structures, Galadima advised them to relocate into the international building materials market in Dei-Dei, revealing that they were many empty shops in the market to accommodate them.
“This place is a corridor of a road, so the only structures that we will leave here are indigenous structures, belonging to the natives of the area. So any other structure, whether it is permanent or it is temporarily, so long as it is within the corridor of the road, it will be removed.”
Also, N16 road is a long stretch of expressway that traverses Gwarinpa, Jahi, bursts out at Gishiri, connecting Shehu Shagari way.
Chairman of building materials traders in the market, Augustin Nwachukwu, while responding on behalf of the traders, expressed appreciation for understanding shown by Development Control officials and submitted that they were aware of status of the market and were not surprised.
He however, appealed for an alternative place even if it were temporary, to enable them to operate and feed their families and dependents, even as he berated they were been owed and rushing to move out would risk getting their monies from customers who bought on credit difficult if not impossible.