THE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Department of Development Control (DDC) said Abuja residents should be ready for more demolitions, to remove infractions of the Abuja master plan.
This is in reaction to a viral video of the demolition of a building in Wuse 2.
In the video, owners of shops at the plaza lamented as a bulldozer tried to demolish the ground floor.
This got Nigerians on social media reacting, as they criticised the authorities.
But reacting, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in a twitter thread yesterday said the action was taken due to the owner’s disregard for notices served by the authorities.
It said the ground floor of the building was initially approved as a car park, but the developer disrupted the plans and built shops.
The tweets read: “This action taken was due to the owner’s continuous disregard for notices served on him by FCTA Dept of Development Control. The ground floor was approved as a car park, but the developer converted it to shops.
“The same developer also cut down trees planted by the government to enhance the visibility of his shops. Abatement notice for illegal removal of six mature trees was served at Plot 413, Lobito Crescent, Wuse 2 on July 14, at 2:22pm.
“Total sum abated is N600,000, only to be paid into the AMMC IGR account with Ecobank. Efforts made to ensure compliance were met with deaf ears, hence the action taken.”
The FCTA advised developers to follow what is approved in their building plan, to avoid any illegality.
The Director, Department of Development Control, Muktar Galadima, reacting to the video, told reporters that when residents were on COVID-19 lockdown, some developers took advantage of that to cause infractions on the master plan by altering building plans as well as putting up illegal buildings.
He said approval was given for a ‘mixed use development’ for Plot 413 on Lobito Crescent, Wise 2, in December 2018.
The plan, he said, provided for a three floor structure: ground floor was for car park, first floor, while second floor was for residency.
– The Nation