The Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA in Nigeria has warned owners of illegal structures located on any of the approved road corridors within Abuja Nigeria’s capital, to remove it or risk having it demolished without compensation.
The warning came after over 100 illegal buildings obstructing road construction leading to Kukwaba II train station, in Karon-Majigi were removed.
The Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Mr Ikharo Attah who led the exercise, reiterated the commitment of the administration towards infrastructural development.
He warned that every illegal structures standing on the way of any project would be demolished at the owner’s peril.
The Senior Special Assistant who also expressed sadness over the loss being continuously incurred by victims of the demolition, said that government will remain focused to citizen-oriented service delivery in all facets.
He also noted that the Kukwaba train station had been completed long ago and ready for use, but the occupants of the illegal structures had refused to vacate the area, thereby slowing the road construction project.
He said, “We are in Karon-Majigi to remove all illegal structures that are obstructing the road project to Kukwaba train station. We have to clear the houses wrongly built on this road corridors.
“This is against the warnings that we have always given via the media that you cannot buy land from the local Chiefs and build without approval.
“The Minister was very clear when he addressed journalists at the Presidential Villa that all those who illegally buy land and build houses on road corridors will not be compensated.
Also, an Assistant Director at the FCT Department of Development Control, Mr Hope Thompson, who is in charge of the area, confirmed that all indigenous people whose houses were affected had been adequately compensated before the exercise.
He also disclosed that non- indigenes who defied urban and regional rules, to build without building approval, won’t be compensated by the administration.
Dominica Nwabufo