FCTA To Prosecute 150 Land Grabbers

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has vowed to
prosecute over 150 land grabbers who have illegally acquired 200
hectares of land in Lubge, FCT.

The Acting Director, Development Control Department of the FCT,
Garba Kwamkur, disclosed this while speaking to reporters during a
demolition exercise in Sabon Lugbe.

The director, who noted that the exercise was part of efforts to
harmonise the entire Lugbe area into the Phase IV of the Abuja
Master Plan, said when the process is completed, Lugbe would cease
to be a satellite town and would become incorporated into the
Federal Capital City.

He said over 150 illegal developers have encroached into areas
meant for public facilities in the district, adding that names of
the illegal developers, who according to him, have forged title
documents, would be forwarded to the commissioner of police for
prosecution.

“This area was planned for public facilities such as schools,
markets, hospitals and other public utilities, but now land
grabbers have encroached into the area and captured all the plots
meant for public facilities and are developing them as housing
estates, thereby denying space for the necessary amenities that
will be needed for the district in the future.

“Over 200 hectares have been encroached upon by criminals with
fake and cloned tittle documents. But the 1976 decree that forms
Abuja stipulates that any development to be carried out within the
confines of the territory needs a government permit from the
department of development control before you can undertake any
housing project. But I can categorically tell you that none of them
approached us for such approvals so that is why we are here to
recover these encroached plots.”

He further explained that the department has served them stop
work notices, quit notices as spelt out in the 1992 Urban and
Regional Planning Law, but they have ignored all the notices and
proceeded to develop the plots without building approvals.

Kwamkur had earlier gone to Maitama where he issued a seven-day
notice to businesses which have converted residential buildings to
commercial purpose to revert to the original purpose or risk
revocation.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has vowed to
prosecute over 150 land grabbers who have illegally acquired 200
hectares of land in Lubge, FCT.

The Acting Director, Development Control Department of the FCT,
Garba Kwamkur, disclosed this while speaking to reporters during a
demolition exercise in Sabon Lugbe.

The director, who noted that the exercise was part of efforts to
harmonise the entire Lugbe area into the Phase IV of the Abuja
Master Plan, said when the process is completed, Lugbe would cease
to be a satellite town and would become incorporated into the
Federal Capital City.

He said over 150 illegal developers have encroached into areas
meant for public facilities in the district, adding that names of
the illegal developers, who according to him, have forged title
documents, would be forwarded to the commissioner of police for
prosecution.

“This area was planned for public facilities such as schools,
markets, hospitals and other public utilities, but now land
grabbers have encroached into the area and captured all the plots
meant for public facilities and are developing them as housing
estates, thereby denying space for the necessary amenities that
will be needed for the district in the future.

“Over 200 hectares have been encroached upon by criminals with
fake and cloned tittle documents. But the 1976 decree that forms
Abuja stipulates that any development to be carried out within the
confines of the territory needs a government permit from the
department of development control before you can undertake any
housing project. But I can categorically tell you that none of them
approached us for such approvals so that is why we are here to
recover these encroached plots.”

He further explained that the department has served them stop
work notices, quit notices as spelt out in the 1992 Urban and
Regional Planning Law, but they have ignored all the notices and
proceeded to develop the plots without building approvals.

Kwamkur had earlier gone to Maitama where he issued a seven-day
notice to businesses which have converted residential buildings to
commercial purpose to revert to the original purpose or risk
revocation.