The Federal Capital Territory Administration has alerted residents on the proliferation of illegal housing estates and other developments in the capital city.
This was as it reiterated its readiness to demolish illegal structures obstructing the town’s master plan.
The Director of the Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, who gave the warning during a press briefing, stated that the identified estates are located along Idu Train Station, Apo Tapi, and Lugbe areas within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
According to him, the alarm became necessary following a rise of fake adverts on social media by land grabbers and illegal developers of housing estates.
Galadima explained that although these areas have not yet been detailed with a design layout, people were carrying fake title documents said to be issued by AMAC.
He further revealed that relevant structures had been marked and would be demolished in a massive removal exercise.
He said, “Our attention has been drawn to some areas of the city where people are developing without any title developments. We want to educate the public and inform them that some of these adverts are on illegal developments.
“As the Department of Development Control in FCT, we found it expedient to adequately inform the citizens on the need to secure building plans and approval, to enable them to develop in line with what is being approved.
“We know that in the course of implementing development proposals, there are rooms for modifications, adjustments and the wisest thing to do is to resubmit the design and seek approval before changing any aspect of the approved plan and failure to do so is an apparition of what was approved for the developer.
“But I would like to reiterate that all illegal developments along the Idu Train Station, Apo Tapi and Lugbe areas, where people are busy spending money and unsuspecting Nigerians are subscribing to these housing estates. We are now saying these are illegal developments, and we have served all relevant notices. So, at an appropriate time, we are going to remove them.”
Speaking further, the director noted that with the constitution of the FCT Urban and Planning Tribunal, land grabbing and other menaces will be reduced, as there would be prosecution of defaulters.