The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has adopted a stringent approach by demolishing a recently constructed building within the prestigious River Park Estate. This decisive action enforces a ministerial order that prohibits any ongoing development in the area.
Leading the demolition was Mukhtar Galadima, director of the Department of Development Control, underscoring the administration’s intensified efforts to clamp down on estate-revocation-defiance/” title=”… Cracks Down: 15 Arrested in Abuja … for Defying Revocation Order”>unauthorized construction activities that violate directives issued by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
This intervention follows a series of enforcement measures, including the suspension of over 30 substructures at the estate last September due to breaches of planning laws. Galadima voiced his disappointment that despite these prior interventions, construction activities had resumed.
“Our mandate is to guarantee full adherence to the ministerial directive that forbids any form of development within River Park Estate,” he stated.
“Upon receiving reports of ongoing construction, we promptly acted to halt the work and dismantle the newly erected structure,” he added.
The root of this dispute lies in the findings of a special committee established by Minister Wike on August 8, 2025, tasked with addressing the controversies surrounding the estate’s development.
The committee’s investigation led to the cancellation of undeveloped land plots due to breaches and expiration of the Development Lease Agreement.
While the committee recommended that residents holding legitimate “customary” titles who complied with building regulations be allowed to remain, it firmly ordered that all vacant plots be reclaimed by the FCTA, effectively stopping any new construction projects.
Galadima confirmed that the developer was fully informed of these restrictions. “He is well aware, especially since the ministerial committee’s recommendations and the development freeze were widely publicized,” he noted.
Addressing concerns about the repeated enforcement efforts’ cost and effectiveness, Galadima revealed a shift in strategy: the department is now pursuing legal avenues to achieve a lasting resolution.
“We are collaborating with our Legal Secretariat to ensure that future actions are grounded in law, preventing the need for repeated interventions,” he explained.
“There might be a misconception that the developer can act without consequence, but no individual is above government regulations. Having exhausted physical enforcement, we are now moving towards legal measures to avoid recurrence,” he emphasized.
Galadima indicated that further steps will be decided after consultations with legal advisors, signaling that the administration’s tolerance is waning and that a legal confrontation may be forthcoming.
“At this stage, I cannot disclose specific plans as I am awaiting guidance from the Legal Secretariat on the appropriate course of action,” he concluded.
