The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Thursday demolished 11 duplexes in the Dutse District of Abuja for gross violation of city planning regulations. The action came as part of ongoing enforcement efforts to restore compliance with approved development standards across the nation’s capital.
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The affected structures, located along Garba Duba Street, were built directly under high-tension electricity lines and across stream channels—posing serious safety and environmental hazards.
Director of the Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, who led the demolition exercise, said the owners had been repeatedly warned but willfully ignored official notices.
“They requested approval and applied for building plan approval, which we declined because of the proximity to high-tension lines and a stream channel. Despite that, they went ahead with construction. We served them notices from the excavation stage and at every stage of development, but they ignored us,” Galadima stated.
He condemned the developers’ disregard for city laws, stressing that government would not condone recklessness in Abuja’s urban development.
“If you don’t respect the laws, we will allow you to waste your money and then bring the structures down. So long as you intend to develop in the FCT, once you are served notice, please stop. Come for clarification whether to proceed or not,” he cautioned.
Galadima further revealed that the FCTA, in collaboration with its Legal Secretariat, is finalizing arrangements to surcharge erring developers in accordance with the Urban and Regional Planning Law.
“Not only will your illegal structure be demolished, you will also pay for the cost of mobilization. Whatever structure has been demolished has to pay penalties. We are putting mechanisms in place to enforce this,” he said.
He clarified that the land in question is a statutory allocation, meaning the administration could consider granting alternative plots to the institution involved—if a formal request is made. However, he emphasized that such consideration does not excuse illegality.
“Nobody is above the law. Whether you are an individual, an agency, or an institution, the regulations of the Federal Capital City must be respected,” Galadima declared.
The demolition underscores the FCTA’s renewed resolve to enforce the Abuja Master Plan and deter violations that endanger lives and undermine urban order.
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