Nigeria: Abuja land grabbing saga continues as Wike threatens to prosecute developer
Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revealed Alhaji Kabiru Sahara as culprit in the ongoing land grabbing saga in Abuja, including encroachment on lands allocated to foreign countries to build their embassies.
The development has led to Wike ordering arrest of Kabiru Sahara and the demolition of several illegal buildings constructed on lands in the Diplomatic Zone of Katampe Extension, Abuja.
This action is part of a broader campaign against land grabbing in Abuja. Other recent enforcement efforts include revoking approvals for developers who converted park and recreation sites in Guzape into residential estates.
After a long probe into the identity of the suspect, Wike identified the developer as Alhaji Kabiru Sahara, who has since been arrested and is expected to face prosecution following police investigations.
According to the Minister, the plots were originally allocated on March 18, 2008, to 10 different diplomatic missions for residential purposes. A portion was also reserved for a 132/133KV power station for the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
The embassies whose land was encroached upon include those of Thailand, Bulgaria, Syria, Somalia, and Serbia and Montenegro, Japan, Austria, Switzerland, Senegal, and the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
The developer allegedly took over the land and began construction without any approval from the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
Wike described the act as a “flagrant abuse of due process” and a “land invasion” that would not be tolerated.
The Department of Development Control was directed to immediately pull down all illegal structures on the site to restore the land for its intended diplomatic use.
“The FCT Administration (FCTA) is formally notifying the affected embassies to take immediate possession of their plots to prevent further encroachment,” Wike told countries whose plots are being misappropriated.
