Demolitions: Indigenes caution local chiefs against illegal land allocation

The indigenous people of Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, FCT, have cautioned their local Chiefs and other traditional against illegal allocations or selling of lands to residents within the nation’s capital and its environs.

The Secretary of the Garki Community, Mr Lazarus Nyaholo, gave the warning during a sensitisation campaign on the recent removal of illegal structures organised by FCTA in the nation’s capital, Abuja.

The Secretary, however, absolved local Chiefs and other traditional of illegally allocating lands to residents, insisting that most indigenous lands are being sold by individual landowners.

Nyaholo who blamed the conversion of their farmlands of the original inhabitants for the unprecedented growth of slums in the territory explained that the Indigenes have been forced to build make-shift shanties and other structures as alternative means of livelihood.

While calling on indigenes to think about the future of the city and their families and desist from selling lands, he said the development of the FCT is the benefit of all.

The Permanent Secretary of the FCT, Mr. Olusade Adesola, who said though the administration has no plans of paying any compensation on any illegal structures that were removed, promised the administration’s commitment to give a listening ear to those with genuine complaints.

Adesola who was represented at the event by the Director, Permanent Secretary’s Office, Mr. Udoh Samuel Atang, gave the assurance that the FCT Administration under the leadership of Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, will ensure that all those with genuine grievances and complaints are attended to speedily.

He, therefore, appealed to all those affected in one way or the other to remain calm and law-abiding.

While stressing that the clean-up exercises are not in any way targeted at any group, the Permanent Secretary said the move is part of measures to ensure that the development of the territory conforms with the provisions of the Abuja Master Plan.

According to him, “May I draw the attention of this important audience to the fundamental reasons that necessitated the relocation of the nation’s capital from Lagos to Abuja. Some of such include; unplanned urban layouts, indiscriminate construction of residential and commercial structures, among others.

“You will all agree with me that if not for constant and courageous operations in the enforcement of physical development in Abuja, the city would have become a major slum by now”.

He stated that the “FCT Administration will continue to operate within the ambit of all extant laws and regulations governing the physical planning and development of the Federal Capital Territory, and will respect the rights of citizens, particularly the Original Inhabitants.”

The Permanent Secretary further warned that no one has the power to allocate any parcel of land in the FCT, as the responsibility is vested only in the FCT Minister who performs such onerous tasks on behalf of the President.

“The FCT Administration seriously frowns at the ugly situation where unsuspecting citizens acquire land in the territory from unauthorised sources only to face unpleasant consequences thereafter. Thus, it is strongly advised that residents who wish to acquire land in the FCT should follow due process as laid down by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

“It is pertinent at this juncture to state that the FCT Administration will continue to operate within the ambit of all extant laws and regulations governing the physical planning and development of the Federal Capital Territory, and will respect the rights of citizens, particularly the Original Inhabitants”, he added.

Earlier, the Director FCT Department of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement, Dr. Jummai Ahmadu, noted that shanties and illegal structures keep springing up in the FCC and satellite towns despite several sensitisation efforts and warnings to that effect.

She said the responsibility of preserving the aesthetic beauty of the FCT is a collective approach, including the FCT Administration which is taking bold steps at removing illegal structures and shanties.

Ahmadu however assured that the interest of original inhabitants is paramount to the FCT Administration and would not hesitate to compensate all those with genuine grievances and petitions.

The sensitisation campaign organised by the FCT Department of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement is aimed at sensitizing all those affected by the recent removal of illegal structures in the nation’s capital city.

Nnenna.O