Festus Fifen.

The officials of he Nigeria Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Friday, arrested an illegal Estate Developer for building on, selling of lands and property that contravene the Abuja Master plan and the land use act at the Katampe extension area of Abuja.

Visiting the site on Friday Morning In Company of Director Development Control and other stakeholders on building matters, The Coordinator Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu told journalists that the arrest followed the failure of the developer, who identified himself as El- Samuel, Managing Director of New World Smart Homes, to consult the Department of Development Control and there relevant departments for approval before development.

He described the building and selling of the lands without the consent of the constituted authorities as a high level of illegality being perpetrated by some developers who obtained lands in the Federal Capital City and are using the documents to fraudulently sell unapproved land to people, defrauding them of their money in disguise.

The coordinator revealed that its site officers and several inspections showed that the developer had obstinately continued to develop other adjoining lands without the FCTA’s approval.

In his words, “The information we gathered from our site officers and several visits to confirm the reports revealed that the Developer had obstinately continued to develop other adjoining lands without the FCTA’s approval. When we approached him, they cunningly presented documents of the approved side for the processing of the unapproved side of the area.

“FCT Land Acts does not condone the contravention of its Land use. Then the riot laws were read to them but these developers have refused all invitations to bring their original documents, they have deviated from the stipulated building plan approval”

He regretted that when officials of the AMMC approached the alleged fraudulent developer, he presented documents of the approved side for the processing of the unapproved side of the area.

Shuaibu said the metropolitan council had placed more other developers suspected to be involved in illegal development on its watchlist.

The alleged fraudulent developer pleaded not guilty: “we have not started development, we only cleared the site and commence work to know the title holder before going for real approval, and this was done through the consent of our lawyer” El – Samuel alleged.

The suspect has been handed over to the police for further investigation.