The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Thursday warned the FCT residents against buying plots of land from Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Ikharo Attah, Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the FCT Minister, gave the warning shortly after he led demolition of illegal structures behind the old Federal Secretariat, Area 1.

He said it was unfortunate that people were buying land from IDPs and building on swamps, waterbeds and on the perimeter fence of the old Federal Secretariat, which was unacceptable.

“I can’t really estimate how many illegal structures were removed today but the work continues. Many of these structures have been here for many years. These structures are built within swamps and water bed and within fence.

“The fact that people pay from N30,000 to N100,000 to buy land here is very painful and it does not make it genuine, it is very wrong.

“The fact that you have been staying here for long and the swamp is giving you cover from the machine doesn’t make it right,” he said.

The minister’s aide, therefore, reiterated the commitment of the administration to prosecute those selling illegal lands in the territory.

He said that the FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello, directed him to remove all illegal structures in the area.

“And those who are selling land, we will definitely come after them and those who are buying from them, this is the pain you pay for buying illegal lands.

“Those who are renting, I can tell you some people pay rent as much as N150,000 here and you can get a good house in Dutse Alhaji, Nyanya for that same amount.”

Mr Attah gave assurance that the exercise would be sustained as long as the machines work, saying that the machine must constantly work as a reminder to those committing illegality.

Reacting to the demolition, a resident, Lfie Samuel, said he had been living in the area for over six months.

“I work in one of the plazas around here, one of my friends that have been living here for over 10 years brought me here.

“And I bought land in 2019 but started building in 2020 and moved in 2021.

“I brought water into this community, I connected the water from the water board and it is registered. I paid close to N600,000 to connect the water.

“When I bought the land they didn’t tell me the land was illegal, they told me it was an IDP camp. And there is no access road to this place, those selling the land said they were from Gosa,” he said. 

(NAN)