BREAKING: FCTA Demolishes 11 Duplexes in Abuja

• The FCTA has demolished 11 duplexes in Dutse District, Abuja, after developers ignored stop-work notices and built under high-tension lines and a stream channel.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has demolished 11 duplexes in the Dutse District of Abuja for being constructed directly under high-tension power lines and along a natural stream channel, violating multiple city planning and safety regulations.

The operation, carried out on Thursday, was led by the Director of Development Control, Muktar Galadima, who explained that the developer had ignored several stop-work notices before the FCTA decided to act.

“This is Garba Duba Street, within the Dutse District of Abuja. The plot was statutorily allocated, but we declined the building plan approval because of its proximity to a high-tension line and a stream channel. Despite this, the developer went ahead with construction,” Galadima said.

He noted that the FCTA had repeatedly warned the developer from the excavation stage, serving multiple notices and letters advising an immediate halt to the project.

“As a reasonable institution, once a notice is served, work should stop. If you don’t respect it, we’ll allow you to waste your money, and we’ll bring it down. This should serve as a warning to all developers in the FCT,” Galadima emphasized.

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According to him, the FCTA’s Engineering Department reported that the developer intended to build a bridge across the stream channel, which prompted the immediate demolition to prevent further violations.

Despite the statutory allocation of the plot, Galadima said the developer will not receive compensation, as the construction lacked proper approval.

“No compensation will be paid because there was no approved plan. Compensation only applies to approved structures affected by government projects,” he clarified.

However, he added that the administration may consider allocating an alternative plot to the developer since the land was legally assigned.

The FCTA is also considering new legislation that would compel defaulters to pay fines after illegal buildings are demolished, in a bid to deter future violations.

“We are proposing a law where contravening landowners and developers will pay fines even after their structures are pulled down,” Galadima said.

The demolition underscores the FCTA’s renewed efforts to enforce urban planning laws and ensure public safety across Abuja’s fast-growing districts.