The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), a key agency under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the demolition of over ten illegally constructed duplexes on a designated green area in the Utako axis of Wumba District, near Apo.
The directive, issued by AMMC Coordinator Felix Obuah during a city-wide inspection tour, reaffirms the administration’s commitment to enforcing the Abuja Master Plan and safeguarding environmentally sensitive areas from unauthorised development.
Obuah disclosed that the structures were erected without any form of legal documentation or approval. He said the Department of Development Control had previously issued a stop-work order and marked the buildings, which the developer disregarded.
“When we invited the developer to present legal documents for this construction, it became clear there was no approval or allocation. Despite our stop-work order, construction continued unabated,” Obuah said. “Therefore, these illegal structures will be demolished within 48 hours.”
Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, corroborated the illegality of the buildings, stating that the developer never received approval from any government authority.
“We marked the structures at various stages of development, yet they continued. Unfortunately, the only language some developers understand is that of bulldozers,” Galadima said, adding that the department was set to remove all identified structures regardless of their level of completion.
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Also speaking, Director of Parks and Recreation, Chidemelu Echee, criticised the encroachment on green spaces, describing it as a dangerous violation of the city’s eco-planning principles.
“Abuja’s design integrates natural ecosystems with structural development to maintain environmental harmony. Erecting buildings on green areas disrupts this balance and accelerates environmental degradation,” Echee said.
Echoing this concern, the Director of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Osilama Braimah, warned of the long-term consequences of ignoring environmental planning.
“Concrete structures absorb and radiate heat, worsening urban temperatures. They also impede water percolation, increasing flood risk,” Braimah stated. “Green zones are vital for groundwater recharge and climate control. Allowing these buildings to remain would endanger residents and the environment.”
The FCTA has reaffirmed that it will continue to take strict action against any development that contravenes the Abuja Master Plan, especially in areas demarcated for environmental preservation.
