The Nigerian Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has warned people to desist from buying land from Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in Abuja, the Nigerian capital city.
The Senior Special Assistant to the FCT minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikaro Attah, stated this while speaking to Journalists after the removal of illegal structures behind the old Federal Secretariat at Area I in Abuja
He said it was quite unfortunate that people were buying from IDPs and building on swamps, water bed and on perimeter fence of the old Federal Secretariat, which is unacceptable.
He lamented that it was quite painful that as much as N100,000 are paid to buy land in a place that is full of snakes and other reptiles.
According to Attah, “We came back today to continue the clean up, because Distinguished Senator Ali Udume appealed to us to allow them to pack up their things. We all agreed that they should clear up the place.
“I can’t really estimate how many illegal structures were removed today but the work continues. Many of these structures have been here for many years.
“These structures are built within swamps and water bed and within fence.
“What is very painful is that you cannot come here, until at the peak of the dry season. Even our machines here are sinking despite the fact that there has not been rain in over four months so you can imagine if it were during raining season, and once there is a single rain fall you cannot access this place.
“The fact that people pay from N30,000 to N100,000 to buy land here is very painful and it does not make it genuine, it is very wrong. The fact that you have been staying here for long and the swamp is giving you cover from the machine doesn’t make it right”. 
He therefore reiterated the commitment of the administration to prosecute those selling illegal lands in the territory.
“those who are selling land and those who buy from them, we will definitely come after them. This is the pain you pay for buying illegal lands. I can tell you some people pay rent as much as N150,000 here and you can get a good house in Dutse Alhaji, Nyanya for that same amount”.
On sustainability he noted, “As long as the machines work they won’t come back here. The machine must constantly work as a reminder to those commiting illegality, that they should stop. It’s like security if you remove them from the streets there will be anarchy. As long as we have law enforcement agencies, illegality won’t be allowed to prevail”.
A resident Ifie Samuel who spoke to journalists at the venue, said he has lived in the area for over six months, “I work in one of the plazas around here, one of my friends who has been living here for over 10 years brought me here.
“And I bought a land in 2019 but started building in 2020 and moved in 2021.
“I brought water into this community, I connected the water from water board and it is registered. I paid close to N600,000 to connect the water.
“When I bought the land they didn’t tell me the land was illegal, they told me it is an IDP camp. And there is no access road to this place, those selling the land said they are from Gosa.
“To be sincere I didn’t spend less than N1.2 million to build the house”.
FCTA had in February, 2022 issued a demolition notice to owners of the structures with a reminder on 1st March to leave the place.
Emmanuel Ukoh
