Nigeria: Abuja development control vows to pull down all illegal buildings

He warned that people should desist from buying farm lands from the indigenes with the intention of building houses with such lands.

According to him, the removal of illegal structures within the city is an ongoing thing, adding that the recent demolition at Iddo Sariki, where most University students reside was an act of consideration from the FederalControl Development administration due to pleadings from the community heads.

It would be recalled that at least 103 students of the university of Abuja, Nigeria staying off school campus were displaced from their hostels following the recent demolition of their rented apartments at Iddo Sarki village by the city development control.

Iddo Sarki community harbors the largest number of students from the university which is about 130 meters away from the institution.

Adebiyi Femi, A 300 level Biology student of the university lost his place, and he says he felt so bad, but has no choice, but to look for somewhere to stay pending when he gets somewhere stable.

“We just fined a way to manage ourselves together for now, pending the time left, we are almost through with school, so we just have to squeeze ourselves,” he said.

“It was heart felt and some people did not have the chance to remove their things, so it was so painful,” said Abdurazak Abdulafis, another student.

The Public Complaints Commission (PCC) had called on the authority to stop demolition of houses adding that due process should be followed and stakeholders engaged on the exercise.

However, Chairman, Ministerial Committee on City Sanitation, Ikharo Attah says due process was strongly followed in the demolition exercise.

“And what happened there is that some person prevailed on some innocent inhabitants of the community, the indigenes to sell their farm lands, in Abuja, you don’t sell local lands for people to build houses, so they sold their farm lands and immediately we saw heavy massive construction during the Covid period until the Minister spotted it and early this year and he frowned bitterly at it and demanded that we removed them,” he added.

Attah reiterated that people should not build based on illegality and defend their actions with student adding that the fundamental truth is that people don’t build foundation on illegality

“The massive construction started during the Covid-19 period and most of the houses there were rushed and owners convinced students to pay for the illegal structures and when we gave warning, we thought everyone will leave but they people didn’t think the government was serious, so they never left and we had to remove the structures. The fundamental truth is that you don’t build a foundation on illegality,” Attah said.

Although the city Indigenous Association has petitioned the development control on the matter, Attah says removal of illegal structures in Abuja must continue.