The Federal Capital Territory Adminstration has uncovered several unapproved plots set aside by illegal developers for proposed estates.
Director of the FCT Department of Development Control, Tpl. Mukhtar Galadima, revealed that land speculators were moving into the undeveloped areas of the Idu Industrial layout and allocating plots to themselves without the right approval from government.
Galadima said most of the proposed estates lands concentrated around the Hikimi village at Idu, were at the excavation and fence levels, with gate houses erected on some of them.
The director who spoke with journalists shortly after removal of the perimeter fences, regretted that the land grappers have become so brazen to advertise on social media and conventional platforms.
He however vowed that the FCT Administration will go all out to check the activities of illegal developers and land grabbers who are making money off unsuspecting Nigerians.
“About a month ago we intimated the citizens about the rising cases of land grabbing in the FCT particularly the social media platforms to advertise their commodities. This is part of the actualization of our briefing.
“Today, we are at Idu Train Station where we have seen instances of people just coming to parcel land, allocate it to themselves without recourse to government concerned. That’s why we have to make good our promise that we have to it real and that’s why we are here this morning to make it real.”
He said the oldest marking has been since 2019 and since then the plot has not been developed.
“You can see see how the whole place has been fenced by these grabbers so we have to nib it in the bud. The estates involved in this illegal are numerous. They just parcel them and fence them. But this is just the beginning. Tomorrow we will reinforce and come back in full force with heavy duty equipment to do the work.
Galadima who noted that most of the estates were at the stage of fencing and excavating, added that their advertisement have been widely spread.
“Like we have been creating awareness, we advise people not to buy land on social media but go through the righ channel to get their land purchases right because “the administration is committed to see that we have done away with this illegalities.”
He called on custodians of the FCT master plan, (the Department of Urban and Regional Planning) to hasten and conclude the process of redesigning the phase 5 of the Federal Capital City so illegal developers and land grabbers don’t go about allocating land to themselves.
Some of the estates removed during the raid includes White City Estate, City Palace Estate, Prime Ville owned by Bstan Homes, Super Grove 2 Estate, among others.