Wike Orders Demolition Of Illegal Estate In Abuja Green Area, Vows Strict Enforcement Of Master Plan

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has announced plans by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to revoke approvals granted to a developer who illegally transformed a designated green area in Guzape, Abuja, into a residential estate.

Wike stated that the action followed the discovery of the violation during an inspection tour of ongoing projects across the territory on Monday the 16th of March, 2026.

He stressed that the administration would strictly enforce planning regulations and ensure that Abuja’s master plan is not compromised.

“This place was given as a green area for passive or active recreation, not for the development of an estate. Nobody will allow that,” the minister said.

He explained that the illegal structures had already been marked for demolition, warning that the government would not tolerate deliberate violations of land-use approvals.

According to Wike, many developers often take advantage of bureaucratic loopholes and believe that government officials will eventually leave office, allowing them to regularise illegal developments.

“People think government will come and go and they will continue what they are doing. We will not allow that here. It does not matter who is involved; we will do the right thing,” he said.

The minister also recalled a recent enforcement action where the FCTA demolished buildings erected on land allocated to several foreign embassies in Abuja.

He noted that the administration had written to the affected diplomatic missions to reclaim and begin development of their properties.

Wike further admitted that some illegal developments may occur with the collaboration of insiders within government agencies but insisted that the administration would not ignore such violations.

“For instance, before development control can give approval for a building, the owner must present a Certificate of Occupancy. If there is no C-of-O, how was approval granted? These are some of the problems we face,” he said.

Despite the enforcement activities, Wike said the inspection tour primarily focused on assessing progress on several major road projects expected to be inaugurated during the third anniversary of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in office.

He said one of the projects inspected was the road network linking the Renewed Hope City in Karsana to Kubwa, which is being handled by Lubrik Construction.

According to the minister, the contractor has made significant progress and the project is on course for completion.

Wike also inspected the N16 interchange linking Jahi and Gwarimpa, describing the quality of work as impressive and expressing optimism that it would be delivered by the end of May.

The minister further visited the Airport Road–Kuje highway project being executed by Arab Contractors, where work is ongoing on the final beam of a major bridge along the corridor.

He said the project would significantly improve access to the Kuje Area Council and nearby communities, making daily commuting easier for residents.

Wike also inspected the ongoing road linking Kuje to Gwagwalada, a 13-kilometre project being constructed by Gilmore Construction.

He explained that the road was divided into two segments of about 6.5 kilometres each, with the contractor promising to deliver the first segment soon while work continues on the second phase.

The minister emphasized that road construction remains central to the administration’s broader transportation strategy for the Federal Capital Territory.

“You cannot have a good transport system without connectivity and a good road network. When you have strong road infrastructure, transport becomes easier and more efficient,” he said