Authority of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA announced that plans have been concluded to sanction owners of 435 abandoned /uncompleted structures around the 250 square kilometers of the Federal Capital City, FCC, in order to ensure adequate protection of lives and property in the nation’s capital.
The Director of Land Administration, in the FCT, Adamu Jibrin Hussaini gave the hint while briefing journalists in Abuja Nigeria, revealed that the sanction may include revocation of titles.
The Director advised the owners of such abandoned/uncompleted buildings within the city to swiftly work towards the completion of these buildings; saying that such structures have become a source of security breach in the city.
Hussaini reiterated that this security breach is of great concern to the government and that it will not fold its arms to watch danger in the waiting to explode; stressing, “This development has been a cause of worry for the FCT Administration”.
According to him, these abandoned /uncompleted buildings have become shelter for unintended occupants as well as other persons with criminal disposition, who use these uncompleted structures as hideout to perpetuate their nefarious activities against the residents.
He also disclosed that the same fate may befall owners of about 600 undeveloped plots in the Federal Capital City; emphasizing that such undeveloped plots have remained an eyesore in Abuja, despite huge amount of money spent to provide these basic infrastructures in the districts.
Hussaini recalled that the owners of these undeveloped plots scattered around the Abuja metropolis have been warned severally in the past, yet some remains recalcitrant.
The Director further revealed that though there exists thousands of uncollected Certificates of Occupancy in the vaults, the Department has conveyed 495 Certificates of Occupancy to bonafide owners from January to December 2021.
He, however, implores other allottees to come over and pick their Certificates as such act would help lubricate economic activities of the Territory.
On the issuance of Rights of Occupancy within the year under review, Hussaini explained that the Land Administration Department released a total number of 1,319 titles to the beneficiaries.
While also disclosing that there are quite a huge number of uncollected Rights of Occupancy in the vaults, the Director advised those who have applied for land in the FCT to endeavour to come forward and check the status of their applications.
Further, Hussaini said the Department has witnessed a tremendous increase in the number of fresh applications for land in the Federal Capital Territory during the year under review; noting that a total number of 8,010 applied for land between January to December 2021.
The Director stated that the Department undertook and released a total number of 546 certified true Copy to various allottees in the year under review.
Dominica Nwabufo
