Wike orders demolition of buildings on land allocated to Embassies

By Philip Yatai

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has disclosed why he ordered the demolition of buildings being erected on a parcel of land in the Katampe Extension area of Abuja.

He also said the developer of the property has been arrested and would be charged to court after conclusion of investigations.

Speaking when he visited the site in Abuja on Friday, during his routine inspection of ongoing projects across the territory, Wike explained that the land was allocated in March 2008, to the foreign embassies for residential buildings and PHCN for 132/133 KV Power Station.

According to him, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) demolished buildings because they were illegally constructed on plots of land allocated to Foreign Embassies and the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in the Diplomatic Zone of Katampe Extension, Abuja.

He identified the allottees as the Embassies of Thailand, Bulgaria, Syria, Somalia, Serbia and Montenegro, Japan, Palestine Liberation Organisation, Senegal, Austria, and Switzerland.

The visibly angry Minister said: “This land grabbing must stop. This land was allocated to the various embassies in 2008, and of course, our people will always believe that nothing will happen.

“Somebody just came here, took the land and started development without approval from the FCT but Development Control had to step in because we can’t allow this.

“The land was allocated to foreign embassies for residential buildings and it will be very unfortunate for us if we fold our hands and say the place is already developed. No, we won’t allow that.

“So, we have taken swift action. I have directed the Development Control to bring down every building standing on the land”.

Wike said that the culprit had been arrested and would be charged to court as soon as police concluded their investigations.

He said the FCT Administration had begun notifying the foreign missions to take possession of their allocated land. (NAN)