FCTA officials allege Naval threat during enforcement at illegal construction site in Abuja

FCTA officials allege Naval threat during enforcement at illegal construction site in Abuja

Officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have alleged that armed naval personnel threatened to open fire on staff of the Department of Development Control during a lawful enforcement operation at Gaduwa District, Abuja.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, reportedly took place when the FCTA team attempted to seal an illegal construction site said to be linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff.

Speaking during an Executive Council meeting in Abuja, the Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, described the encounter as “unfortunate and deeply regrettable,” explaining that his officers were met with armed resistance while carrying out a verification exercise to confirm the site’s title documents and building approvals.

“We noticed armed men strategically positioned, ready to shoot. That was why I called the Honourable Minister for an on-the-spot assessment. I sincerely apologize to him and to all Nigerians for the incident, but the development remains illegal because there is no title or approval backing it,” Galadima said.

He revealed that the site’s operators had previously failed to provide valid documents when requested. Instead, they presented a letter of intent issued in 2007 for the development and maintenance of a park allocated to Santos Estate Village—an instrument he said does not constitute legal ownership or development approval.

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Galadima added that following several failed attempts to halt the illegal work, the matter was escalated to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who directed immediate enforcement action. He said the decision to alert the minister to personally visit the site was made out of concern for the safety of his personnel, citing previous instances where FCTA staff were attacked or killed during enforcement duties.

Corroborating the account, the Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, confirmed that Santos Estate Limited had no valid title to the disputed land.

“In the FCT, the only document that confers title to land is a statutory right of occupancy. A letter of intent is not a title; it only allows temporary access for specific uses,” Nwankwoeze clarified.

He disclosed that the company failed to meet the conditions attached to its 2007 letter of intent, including the submission of technical design proposals within 21 days and the completion of development within one year of approval.

According to him, the Department of Parks and Recreation later reviewed its allocation system and recommended the withdrawal of all letters of intent in June 2025—a move approved by the FCT Minister.

Despite this withdrawal, Nwankwoeze said some firms, including Santos Estate, continued developing residential and commercial structures on land designated for parks, an act deemed illegal by the FCTA.

“The claims by Santos about ownership are false. They neither have a statutory right of occupancy nor development approval. Their attempt to convert the area for residential and commercial purposes was rejected years ago,” he said.

The FCTA reiterated its commitment to enforcing planning regulations across the territory, warning that illegal developments, regardless of the parties involved, will face full legal sanctions.

FCTA officials allege Naval threat during enforcement at illegal construction site in Abuja