The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) announced that it will take back houses and properties that were sold to individuals but are now being used for non-residential purposes.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Mukhtar Galadima, the Director of Development Control for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), explained that the Federal Government had launched a monetization program back in 2005. However, it eventually sold the houses to their occupants with the intention that they would be responsible for maintenance.
Over time, Galadima noted, the property owners began to repurpose the houses for different uses, a situation that the FCT Administration could no longer tolerate.
Galadima said, “It is on this note that the minister has approved and directed that all owners of such properties should revert the use of the properties to its original and designated land use, which is residential.”
“The minister has also directed that owners of properties, particularly along major streets that have converted their properties to other uses without approval, should either revert to original use or pay contravention charges.”
“Failing to comply with this directive as of November 1, the house is considered revoked and returned to the FCTA.”
He pointed out that the department had documented over 111 instances of land use alteration concerning the sold properties.