Wike vows crackdown on illegal constructions after clash with Naval officers

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has vowed to halt all illegal constructions across Abuja.

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This followed a confrontation with officers of the Nigerian Navy who allegedly obstructed his inspection of an ‘unauthorised site’ in Gaduwa District, along the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Way corridor in the FCT.

Mr Wike, who led officials of the FCT Development Control Department on the inspection, said the administration will not bow to intimidation or blackmail, regardless of who is involved in the unlawful development.

PREMIUM TIMES had earlier today reported that Mr Wike engaged in a heated exchange with naval officers over the same disputed land in Gaduwa.

During the encounter, the minister accused the officers of attempting to intimidate FCTA officials and obstruct lawful enforcement, while the officers claimed that they were acting on orders, allegedly from a former Chief of Naval Staff.

The former Chief of Naval staff was said to be constructing without requisite title documents or Development Control Approval.

Mr Wike insisted that the land had no valid allocation and warned that the administration would not tolerate encroachment by individuals leveraging military connections.

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He condemned the action, describing it as an act of lawlessness on the part of the Nigerian Military.

“The way we have carried out our job in other areas is the same way it will be done here. He will not carry out this illegal development and land grabbing simply because he was a former Chief of Naval Staff. I will not allow that,” he said.

‘I will not succumb to blackmail.”

Speaking with journalists after the standoff, the minister recounted how his officials were previously chased away from the site by military personnel.

“I did instruct them to make sure that nothing takes place, as long as there are no legal papers, no building approval or proof of land acquisition,” he explained.

“When they came here, I was informed that the military chased them away. Today, I was called that the military had taken over the place, so I had to come and see for myself.”

Mr Wike questioned the involvement of armed personnel in protecting what he called a ‘clear case of illegal development.’

“I don’t understand how somebody who attained that position cannot come to my office to explain what is going on. Or simply because he’s a military man, he felt he could use that to intimidate Nigerians. I’m not one of those kinds of persons that will succumb to blackmail or intimidation.”

The FCT Minister confirmed that he had engaged both the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, who assured him that they would intervene and resolve the matter.

Clampdown builds on recent enforcement

The minister’s stance comes amid a broader enforcement push by the FCT Administration (FCTA).

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In September, the FCTA halted construction on more than 30 foundations at the controversial River Park Estate, citing expired lease agreements and breaches of planning regulations.

The estate case involved a ministerial committee, inaugurated by the minister in August, which recommended that undeveloped plots be reverted to the FCTA.

The director of development control, Mukhtar Galadima, said developers were working overnight to beat the directive.