Two companies have accused the Department of Development Control of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) of unlawful demolition and land grabbing.
The firms, All Weather Techno Enterprises and Multijoy Hotels Limited, said a director in the department served them a 21-day notice of demolition on May 20, 2021, but carried out the demolition on Saturday, May 21.
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They said the demolition took place despite a suit with number CV/3093/2013 filed in 1999 over alleged double registration of the land in dispute with PPDEZI Nigeria Ltd.
The suit before the High Court of the FCT was filed in the names of the firms’ directors, Abewojo Kazeem Olanrwaju and Abdulaziz S. Baka, seeking to recognise them as the original allotees through a letter of conveyance of approval dated April 21, 1999, with reference number BAC/FCDA/LP&S/129 issued by the FCT minister.
The land, described as “Plot 1871 of approximately 2.46 hectares in Cadastral Zone F18 Dawaki, Abuja”, is also being disputed by PPDEZI.
When the acting Director of Development Control was sought for his view on the matter, he asked that he should be met in his office for explanation, but when our reporter called yesterday to confirm if he could go and meet him in the office, he did not pick his call.