Wike Orders Demolition of Illegal Structures on Diplomatic Lands

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered the arrest of a developer Alhaji Kabiru Sahara and immediate demolition of illegal structures erected on diplomatic lands reserved for Thailand, Japan, Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), Syria, Austria, Switzerland, Serbia and Montenegro, Bulgaria, Senegal and Somalia in Katampe Extension District, Abuja.

He issued the directive yesterday on the appropriated foreign mission lands during an inspection tour of several ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, including road works linking Wuse to the Central Area, a road near the Body of Benchers Complex, the Tungan-Madaki road off the airport corridor and upgrade works around the City Gate.

He said Sahara, a private developer, had encroached upon the Diplomatic Zone to erect buildings without authorisation from the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

 “This land was allocated to various embassies. Somebody just came here, took the land and started developing it on his own without approval from the FCDA. We cannot allow this kind of land invasion to continue,” Wike said.

The affected area was originally partitioned on March 18, 2008, to serve as the residences of several embassies and also reserved for the Power Holding Company of Nigeria for a 132/133KV power station.

The minister, who expressed outrage at the audacity of the encroachment, said the Department of Development Control had been directed to remove all illegal structures while the FCT Administration had begun notifying the missions to take possession of their allocated land.

He also vowed that the suspect would be prosecuted after ongoing investigations by the police. “The man has been arrested and he will be charged to court. The police are carrying out their investigation and he will be charged any moment from now,” Wike said.

Speaking on the inspected project, Wike described the infrastructure drive as part of efforts to open up new communities and improve connectivity across the capital, noting that residents in areas such as Tungan-Madaki had welcomed the projects as they would link them more directly to the city.