Dei-dei property owners groan over FCTA ‘injustice’

The members of property owners in Zaudan Pasil and Filing Dabo layout of the Dei-dei district (a suburb within the nation’s capital) have lamented their plight in the hands of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over superimposition of lands.

Justice A. I Banjoko sitting at the  FCT High Court (Court 6), Daki-Bui, Thursday, November 22 fixed March 4 for definite hearing on the matter.

The judge who addressed the counsel to the 1st and 2nd defendant , Izekiel Ituma and the counsel to the plaintiff, Nduka Nwagbo said the parties must find lasting solution to the case before the next hearing.

She enjoined FCTA to communicate in clear terms its intentions and actions on the said property to the land owners to avoid ambiguity causing anxiety among the land owners; saying that communication is key. 

The plots of land involved according to the Chairman Zaudan Pasil property association, Elder Friday Ugoala is about 3, 000 units and members have been thrown into distress since the last administration.

Ugoala explained that: “In 1998/1999 FCDA carved out two layouts in Dei-dei district – Zaudan Pasil and Filling Dabo layouts and plots involved is over 3, 000 in that two layouts.

“As Jonathan administration came into power, the minister then, whatever they did, what we saw was private developer coming in. When we wrote series of letters, we were told that the layout within Dei-dei district had been superimposed on the Federal Capital City of Abuja whereas our plots were not revoked.

He stressed that: “We have our documents that the government gave us, we did not give ourselves plots, we pay the necessary fees, it is statutory allocation issued by FCDA not local council allocation and the minister approved the two layouts.

He added that: “Since what we call injustice after writing series of letters, we were not given audience; we have no other choice but to come to seek redress through the judiciary. 

“We have been making progress but today, thank God, the counsel to the defendants told the court that action is ongoing as to resolving the matter amicably; and that is what we have been pleading for that the present minister of FCT should use his good office to correct errors of the past because we believe that this administration will not take part in the injustice of the former administration,” the statement read.

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