Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has vowed to continue the demolition of houses and other structures built on waterways in Abuja, saying the exercise will not be halted regardless of the status of affected property owners. Wike made the declaration on Wednesday after inspecting ongoing projects in the nation’s capital, stressing that the FCT Administration had only commenced a wider enforcement operation aimed at restoring the Abuja Master Plan and preventing flooding. The minister said the demolition exercise would be extended to other parts of the FCT where illegal structures had obstructed natural water channels or violated planning regulations. “Definitely, we have just started somewhere. After that, we will move to another area. We are not going to end just where we started yesterday,” he said. Wike said the administration would remain firm in enforcing planning regulations, adding that there would be no retreat from the exercise. He explained that structures erected directly on waterways posed a danger to entire communities by obstructing the natural flow of water and increasing the risk of flooding. The minister dismissed criticism over alleged lack of due process in the demolitions, arguing that removing structures that block water channels was necessary to protect the wider public. “You can’t go and erect a structure to block the water channel that is now affecting the entire community, and you are saying I am not following due process,” Wike said. “Sometimes when you are in a mad community, you also have some level of madness to contain them,” he added. The minister said the administration would not allow individual interests to override public safety and the city’s planning regulations. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the FCT Administration on Tuesday commenced the demolition of houses and other structures built on waterways in Maitama, following Wike’s directive. The minister said the exercise was part of measures to address flooding affecting some parts of Abuja. In a related development, Wike disclosed that he had queried the Director of Urban Planning over approvals allegedly granted for the conversion of designated green areas into car sales outlets. The minister expressed concern over the indiscriminate conversion of public green spaces, parks and other areas meant for recreational and environmental purposes into commercial sites. He announced an immediate ban on car sales activities in public green spaces across the FCT. According to him, a special task force has been constituted to enforce the removal of vehicle dealers operating from the affected areas. Wike directed car dealers to obtain and develop legally approved commercial properties for their businesses, warning that the administration would no longer tolerate the misuse of spaces reserved for public recreation and ecological purposes. He maintained that the ongoing enforcement campaign would continue until illegal structures and activities undermining the Abuja Master Plan were addressed. The minister also assured residents that the FCT Administration would sustain the exercise across the territory as part of efforts to improve urban planning, protect communities from flooding and restore order to the nation’s capital.
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