FCTA to begin prosecution of estate developers at Urban Tribunal

By Stanley Onyekwere

Worried by the increasing distortion of Abuja master plan, the Federal Capital Territory Administration ( FCTA) has disclosed conclusion of plans to start prosecuting defaulting and illegal Estate Developers at the Urban and Regional Tribunal.

This, was as it said that it would also consider dragging them to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) for causing both government and off takers economic losses.

Director, FCT Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima made this disclosure, when he led other management staff to demolish illegal structures on water channels around Kukwaba District.

Galadima, who also toured Katampe, on monitoring and inspection duties, noted that the actions of many of the developers amount to economic crimes, which the EFCC can beam further searchlight on.

According to him, apart from the losses they incurred, each time their illegal structures were demolished, both off takers who subscribe to their property, and the government also suffer economic losses.

He further revealed that the resources being committed into the demolition exercise, was enormous that it cannot be allowed to go just like that.

He noted that the case of the developers in Kukwaba demonstrates how responsible citizens ought not to handle economic activities.

He however, disclosed that the developers know that the area they encroached upon was a reserved green area, because it is located on water channels, yet they were illegally selling to off takers and also building on it.