By Remi Johnson
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Nyesom Wike, on Friday visited the site of the recent demolition in Apo-Dutse following public outcry over the pulling down of buildings belonging to the Nigeria Police Force.
The Minister, who discovered that the site was indeed located under a high-tension wire, was visibly displeased with the development and described the incident as “unfortunate,” stressing that “Government ought to enforce rules, not to break them.”
The Minister reiterated that the FCTA would not tolerate acts of impunity or disregard for urban development regulations, urging all developers to follow due process to avoid financial loss and sanctions.
He noted that no agency or institution is above the law, especially when public safety is at stake.
“Yesterday, I got a report from the Department of Development Control that they had to stop some ongoing construction here.You can see the high-tension line passing right over the buildings.
” It’s unfortunate that such a project was embarked upon by the Nigerian Police. They applied for building approval, but it was rightly denied because of the high-tension risk,” Wike said.
He lamented that despite several stop-work notices issued by the Development Control Department, the police went ahead with construction, forcing the authorities to demolish the illegal structures.
“Assuming there was no high-tension line, the mere fact that Development Control Department refused to grant approval means you cannot take the law into your hands just because you have the force. Government is here to enforce rules, not to break them,” Wike stated.
The Minister said he personally visited the site after learning that some FCTA enforcement officers were allegedly arrested and detained by the police during the demolition.
“I had to come and see things for myself. I am sure the Inspector General of Police is not aware of this, but I will take it up with the appropriate authorities. We cannot allow this to continue,” Wike affirmed.
Explaining the background of the demolition, Director, Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, said the plot 189 in question in Cadastral Zone B14, Dutse District, was allocated to the Nigeria Police Force for institutional development in 2018.
According to him, the Department declined the police’s request for building plan approval after discovering that the site lies directly beneath a high-tension power line and within the right-of-way of a proposed bridge.
“We came to the site, saw the position of the high tension, and wrote to them that we could not grant approval. Despite that, they went ahead and started excavation,” Galadima said.
He further disclosed that the Department of Engineering Services had also written to inform them of plans to construct a bridge in the area to control perennial flooding, a project that would affect part of the land where the buildings stood.
“They ignored all notices and correspondence. Considering the risks involved, we could not fold our arms because if anything happened, we would be held responsible. That’s why we had to act,” Galadima explained.
The Director confirmed that some enforcement and security officers attached to his team were detained during the exercise, prompting him to alert the Minister, who immediately intervened.
Wike assured that his administration would continue to enforce the Abuja Master Plan without fear or favour, emphasizing that no institution or individual is above the law.
“Every developer, including government agencies, must obtain building approval before commencing construction. Safety and legality come first,” he stressed.