The minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered revocation of approvals granted to a developer who allegedly converted a park and recreation site into a residential estate in the Guzape district of Abuja.

The minister stated that the demolition order followed the discovery that land originally designated for recreational purposes had been developed into housing at variance with the Abuja master plan.

“This place was given for park and recreation, not for the development of an estate. Nobody will allow that,” Mr Wike said.

Mr Wike, who spoke during an inspection of ongoing infrastructure projects across the territory on Monday, said the structures on the site had already been marked for demolition.

Warning that the FCT administration would not tolerate deliberate violations of land-use approvals, the minister further noted that some developers exploit bureaucratic gaps, believing that successive governments will “eventually legitimise illegal” developments.

He said, “People think the government will come and go and they will continue what they are doing. We will not allow that here. It does not matter who is involved; we will do the right thing.

“An armed robber cannot operate without someone linking him. There must be collaborators somewhere. In some cases, civil servants may be involved, but that will not stop us from doing what is right.”

Referencing a recent enforcement exercise in which the FCTA demolished buildings erected on plots allocated to foreign embassies, Mr Wike said the administration had written to the affected diplomatic missions and urged them to reclaim and begin development of their properties.

The minister also acknowledged that some illegal developments may occur with the collaboration of officials within government agencies, insisting such violations would not be overlooked.

“For instance, before development control can give approval for a building, the owner must present a certificate of occupancy (C-of-O). If there is no C-of-O, how was approval granted? These are some of the problems we face,” he clarified.

Mr Wike noted that funds had already been allocated for development control activities, including the demolition of illegal structures in the capital, adding the administration would continue to enforce planning regulations while delivering infrastructure that improves mobility and opens up communities across the federal capital territory.