By Tokunbo2

Copyright thesun

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

The dispute between the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Riverpark Estate developers remains unresolved as the FCTA’s Department of Development Control resumed enforcement actions on Wednesday, October 8, seeking to stop what it classified as unauthorised building activities in the estate.

Director of Development Control and leader of the enforcement team, Mukhtar Galadima, emphasised their mission to ensure full adherence to the directive issued by the FCT Minister to halt all construction within the estate.

“We are here to ensure total compliance with the ministerial directive that no development should be allowed in the River Park Estate,” Galadima remarked to reporters during the operation.

He revealed that the enforcement team had conducted previous interventions but returned following credible reports that construction work had resumed on the site.

“We got a report that there is an ongoing development. That’s why we rushed to ensure that the development is stopped and the structure being put should be removed,” he explained.

Galadima further disclosed plans for escalating the matter legally, underlining that demolition alone would no longer suffice to enforce compliance.

“Yeah, we’re liaising with our Legal Secretariat to see that this action may be taken up legally so that we don’t come back again,” he said, adding a firm warning: “Nobody is above government.”

“Maybe there is a perception that he can do as he pleases, but you see, nobody is above government. We have done the kinetic aspect; now we are taking it up legally to ensure that we don’t come back again,” he reiterated.

The director confirmed the developer was fully informed of the ministerial order, which followed an investigation by an ad-hoc committee inaugurated by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday, August 8, 2025.

The committee report criticised the developers for breaching the Development Lease Agreement (DLA) and recommended the reversion of all undeveloped plots within the estate to the FCTA.

The revocation came in response to the expiration and breaches of the DLA, aiming to restore administrative control over the disputed plots consistent with Clause 9.2 of the agreement.

The committee allowed that holders of prior “customary” titles who had developed their plots in accordance with planning rules should keep their titles, but mandated a halt on all ongoing and new constructions until property ownership and compliance issues are settled.

Regarding future steps, Galadima stated he would seek further guidance from the FCT Legal Secretariat.

“At this moment I can’t say anything because, as I said earlier, I’m going to consult the Legal Secretariat on what next line of action should be taken,” he concluded.

Only recently during a press conference, the Head of Compliance, Frank Johnson, had sought audience with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to present their side of the River Park Estate ownership dispute, claiming the minister was misled by inaccurate information amidst allegations of forged documents.

Johnson had challenged the committee’s report that led to the minister’s directive halting construction, arguing that the Development Lease Agreement (DLA) is still valid until 2030 based on a 2023 approval.

He had revealed that forensic investigations by the Nigerian Police found about 12 documents related to the companies involved were forged to facilitate a hostile takeover, leading to police charges in June against implicated parties.

Johnson emphasised that Nigerian directors were unlawfully removed from the boards of Jonah Capital Nigeria Ltd. and Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd. without their knowledge or consent, with suspicious corporate filings accepted by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Johnson questioned how share capital was inflated from 10 million to 100 million shares without Nigerian directors’ awareness, describing CAC’s weak verification processes as detrimental to legitimate business ownership.

He warned the public about being misinformed and expressed confidence that the judiciary will address the injustices arising from the hostile takeover and improper administration of the estate, while seeking audience with the minister.