By Othuke Evroh
The FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammed Musa Bello, through the Department of Development Control, Federal Capital Territory Administration, (FCTA), has sealed off a massive uncompleted 3 storey building located at plot 22, Cadeatral Zone, A05, Udi Hills Street, Maitama.
According to the Minister, this action is yet another effort to ensure the security of lives and property in the Federal Capital Territory.
Mallam Musa Bello who personally led a team of FCTA and security officials to the location stated that, “The abandoned building is posing security threats to residents of the area.”
Accompanied by TPL Umar Shuaibu, the Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Barr. Garduya Bawa Ganiya, the Solicitor General of the FCTA, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations in the FCT, Mr. MB Magawata and other officials of the FCTA, the Minister took a detailed tour of the building which also has a basement parking area.
While inspecting the structure, evidences of unwholesome activities were discovered and some squatters who were found in the building were immediately apprehended by security operatives.
The FCT Mnister, Malam Bello reiterated the commitment of the FCT Administration to ensuring the safety of all residents of the nation’s capital.
Accordingly, he stated that “steps will be taken to ensure that abandoned and uncompleted buildings within the city do not pose threats to residents.”
The Coordinator of AMMC while executing the Minister’s directives of sealing the building on Wednesday, declared, “Integrity tests would be carried out on the structure and if it fails the test, its allocation wil be revoked and the building will be pulled down.”
“The building has been abandoned for a very long time, and presently, the FCT Administration has a policy of taking actions on abandoned buildings in the city.
“We have security challenges. This structure is susceptible to be used by criminals. Also, by the time a building is left unused for a long time, it is subject to rot and weakening; and this could trigger collapse of the structure in the future,” he continued.
“So we definitely have to seal it, and if there is any necessity for us to allow work to continue, we must conduct integrity test and make sure it passes the test before we allow that. If it means for us to revoke it, we will do it because we have the power to do so. The building also constitutes a risk to those living around here.”
TPL. Muktar Galadima, Director, Department of Development Control, explained that the Administration in the past, met with owners of abandoned buildings in the Territory and agreed that they would conduct intercity tests and complete them.
He nevertheless regretted that while others resumed work and completed, some did not, even as he disclosed that there were measures to curb the issue of abandoned buildings in the FCT.
The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr M.B Magawata, in his remark, stated that the squatters apprehended in the building will be questioned to ascertain their true identities and reasons for being in the building.