A video shows how the FCTA bulldozer quickly started demolishing the unapproved building, which had already been built to roofing level, but in a green area reserved for recreation.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration, Abuja, has pulled down a building which was built in a green area for recreation in Sil Estate, within the Mbora district – after SaharaReporters exposed that some officials collected N10 million bribe to spare the building.
A video shows how the FCTA bulldozer quickly started demolishing the unapproved building, which had already been built to roofing level, but in a green area reserved for recreation.
SaharaReporters had reported on Wednesday that some FCTA officials got N10 million bribe to spare the building for reconstruction after the government had earlier demolished it in July 2020.
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The FCTA Department of Development Control had earlier marked the building for demolition and indeed begun demolishing the building because it was built in a green area meant for recreation.
But when the officials received N10 million bribe, the demolished building was reconstructed.
The Director of the department, Muktar Galadima, who had led the team on July 15, 2020, had warned that the government would not allow any contraventions that could abuse the Abuja Master Plan hence its resolve to demolish such structures.
He had stated that his men brought down the sprawling building on Plot 4545 which was sitting on “a green area meant for recreation.”
“The area was allocated as a comprehensive development plot for residential purpose and the developer moved to site without necessary planning permit and built all sorts of houses. We noticed what was going on and did serve the developer and the structures all relevant contravention notices, and we moved forward and processed them for removal.
“This developer, called Sil Estate in Mbora, never sought for approval, and we did necessary markings and served him relevant notices but he ignored them. That’s why we had to go there and remove the basic ones sitting on a space designated green area, meant for recreational purposes,” he had said.
The FCTA had said the developer would also be arraigned in court, after the demolition of the buildings.
But checks by SaharaReporters had revealed that instead of being completely demolished, the two-storey building was almost at completion before SaharaReporters’ report exposed the bribery incident that spared the structure from demolition.
However, after SaharaReporters’ story, the FCTA officials mobilised to the area and demolished the building.
A source had informed SaharaReporters that the FCTA officials collected the bribe and secretly perfected a plan to ensure the structure would be accommodated in the green area.
“See the so-called demolished building after collecting money. They demolished it because it was a green area as stated by the director that came to supervise the demolition.
“The FCT director and his men took N10 million to allow for rebuilding. They collected N10 million to convert the green area to house them. And that the developer was supposed to be arraigned since last year,” the source had said.