The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has directed the arrest of a developer and the demolition of structures illegally erected on plots originally allocated to foreign missions in the Diplomatic Zone of Katampe Extension, Abuja.
The land in question, located in the diplomatic district of Katampe Extension within the Federal Capital Territory, was allocated on March 18, 2008, to ten embassies for diplomatic residential use. Part of the area was also reserved for the Power Holding Company of Nigeria to establish a 132/133KV power station.
Speaking during an inspection of projects across Abuja, Wike said authorities discovered that an individual had unlawfully taken over the land and begun construction without approval from the Federal Capital Development Authority. He added that the Department of Development Control had been instructed to remove all illegal structures on the site.
According to the minister, the plots were originally allocated to diplomatic missions representing countries such as Thailand, Bulgaria, Syria, Somalia, Serbia and Montenegro, as well as Japan, Austria, Switzerland, Senegal and the Palestine Liberation Organization. He said the FCT Administration had started notifying the affected missions to reclaim their allocated lands.
Wike confirmed that the suspected developer, Alhaji Kabiru Sahara, had been arrested and would face prosecution following investigations by the police.
The minister spoke after inspecting several ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, including the redesigned Abuja City Gate, the road from Bill Clinton Drive at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to the Tunga Madaki community—now set to be extended to Zuba—as well as the road connecting Baze University, the Body of Benchers, Nile University of Nigeria and the Wupa Light Rail Station in the Idu area of the city.
He said many of the projects, being executed by companies including Julius Berger Nigeria, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and Levant Construction, were expected to be completed ahead of the third anniversary of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in office.
Wike added that the projects were part of the administration’s effort to open up new communities and improve connectivity within the capital, noting that residents of areas such as Tungan-Madaki had welcomed the development as it would provide easier access to the city.
