FCTA Halts River Park Estate Constructions, Demolishes Over 30 Foundations
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has stopped ongoing development at River Park Estate and demolished more than 30 substructures for violation of planning regulations.
The administration accused the affected developers of defying withdrawal of their lease agreements and a ministerial committee’s recommendation that all undeveloped plots in the estate be reverted to the FCTA.
FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, had on August 8, 2025, inaugurated an ad-hoc committee to review controversies surrounding River Park Estate.
The committee, chaired by Barr. Salman Dako, submitted its report last week, recommending the revocation of undeveloped plots due to expiration and breach of the Development Lease Agreement (DLA), citing Clause 9.2 of the agreement.
The committee, however, clarified that holders of valid customary titles within the estate who had developed their plots in line with planning and development control regulations should retain their titles, in line with a subsisting court judgment referenced in paragraph 16.3 of its report.
Leading enforcement officers to the site on Wednesday, the Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, said the demolition was prompted by intelligence reports that developers were rushing to complete structures in defiance of the directive.
“About a week ago, one of the committees on River Park Estate recommended that all undeveloped plots within the estate be reverted back to the FCTA. We got reports that certain developers were hurriedly working day and night to develop some of the vacant plots. As an agency, we served them notice to stop work. This morning, we saw them still working, so we are removing the structures—the excavations and all those foundations put on the ground,” Galadima said.
He confirmed that over 30 foundations had already been dug, but vowed that they would all be covered.
“Whoever we see on site, we remove it. Luckily, they are just at excavation level. But wherever we see any new development coming up, we will remove it again,” he warned.
On allegations that Paulo Homes was behind the construction, Galadima explained that the matter was being reviewed by the legal secretariat.
“From the committee’s report, there was a Development Lease Agreement which has already expired. The legal secretariat will determine the next line of action. There could be prosecution. Definitely, we’re expecting that people will cry out. Naturally,” he added.
Meanwhile, residents around the estate say they are already bearing the brunt of the crisis. An affected resident, Pastor Chimdi Obwe, who lives in the adjoining Ciarudi area, lamented the disruption to his family’s life.
“I was stopped from accessing my house for a long time. Because of these things they are doing here, the exit they gave us, they suddenly blocked it. My fence was demolished. Now I can’t access our cars, we are all packed out. So that was the problem,” he said.
The FCTA vowed to sustain the clampdown on illegal development in the estate until full compliance with planning regulations is restored.
FCTA Halts River Park Estate Constructions, Demolishes Over 30 Foundations is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
