FCTA clamps down on occupants of uncompleted buildings

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has commenced clampdown on illegal occupants of uncompleted buildings as part of its measures to tackle insecurity in the nation’s capital city.

The move, according to the FCTA, was borne out of its findings that most of the uncompleted buildings were mostly occupied by hoodlums, who perpetrated the nefarious activities.

However, officials of the Development Contract Department in collaboration with Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and Department of Security Services of the FCTA, Monday visited some notorious uncompleted buildings in Wuye and Maitama districts of Abuja, where no fewer than 150 people domiciled.

Speaking during the exercise, director, Development Control Department, Mukhtar Galadima, said the FCTA was not considering demolition, but how to remove hoodlums from some of these uncompleted buildings.

Galadima noted that the exercise was in line with the administration’s policy that nobody should transact any business or stay in or under any uncompleted building in Abuja.

He said there were risks associated with staying in an uncompleted building since no one can ascertain the integrity of the structure that had long been abandoned.

“Now in collaboration with Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and Department of Security Services of the FCTA, we will soon start evacuating these people (occupants of uncompleted buildings) and forwarding to the FCT Social Development Secretariat for possible rehabilitation and prosecution.

“The exercise is part of city management, and city management is a continuous process. Now we are looking at the angle of security, most of these uncompleted buildings are mostly where hoodlums stay and perpetrate their nefarious activities.

“We visited Wuye and Maitama Districts. At an uncompleted building on Shehu Shagari Way, there were about 93 inhabitants under one building. Such circumstances pose a threat to security. In Wuye, we have some of these uncompleted buildings where hoodlums stay,” he said.

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