By PHILP YATAI

The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has ordered the demolition of 24 two-storey buildings illegally constructed on a waterway in Guzape District, Abuja.

AMMC Coordinator, Chief Felix Obuah, issued the directive during an inspection tour of various parts of Abuja on Monday, alongside other council officials.

Obuah stated that the affected buildings were developed by Cityscape Estate on Plot 4851 without necessary approvals.

He described the construction as a flagrant violation of planning regulations and vowed that the structures would be removed to serve as a deterrent to others.

?We have mobilised equipment, materials, and machines on-site.

?These illegal buildings erected without approval will go down,? Obuah said.

?Any other building without proper approval, especially those constructed on waterways or road corridors, will be demolished.

?It is no longer business as usual; we are committed to restoring Abuja to its original master plan.?

He warned that AMMC officers found complicit in the approval or oversight of the illegal structures would face disciplinary action, stressing that the council would no longer tolerate negligence or sabotage.

?They are receiving salaries and are expected to do their jobs.

?The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, is working tirelessly to change the narrative, and we will not allow any disgruntled elements to sabotage those efforts,? Obuah said.

Though the demolition of one structure was carried out on-site, the council granted a two-week grace period, at the developer?s request?for the voluntary removal of all contraventions.

?Failure to comply will result in full-scale demolition,? Obuah warned.

Director of Development Control, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, explained that the developer had originally been allocated a plot near the Federal Housing Authority Estate in the area.

However, after part of the land was affected by the proposed S20 road project, additional land was allocated as compensation.

?That compensation does not give the developer the right to build without obtaining proper approval,? Galadima noted.

He said the infractions were discovered two weeks ago during a routine inspection.

?A committee was subsequently set up to investigate the situation, which revealed that construction was ongoing in a valley area?an unacceptable practice under FCTA regulations.

?Our preliminary findings show that the number of buildings on site exceeds the approved number.

?This is a complete violation of the terms of approval,? Galadima added.

Chairman of the FCT Building Contravention Taskforce, Mr Gabriel Musa, revealed that while only 18 buildings were approved, the developer constructed 42, more than double the permitted number.

In response, the developer, Mr Kadiri Obaidi, admitted the infractions and accepted responsibility, attributing some of the unauthorised development to subscribers.

?We have approval for the estate, but many infractions occurred?mostly by our subscribers, for whom we are responsible,? he said.

?We acknowledge the violations and are willing to pull down the illegal structures ourselves within two weeks to salvage some of the materials.?

The council granted his request on the condition that all unauthorised structures are removed at no cost to the government. (NAN)

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