The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said the FCT Administration will revoke approval granted to a developer accused of converting a designated recreational site into a residential estate in Guzape.

Wike disclosed this on Monday while inspecting ongoing infrastructure projects across Abuja, noting that structures already erected on the site have been marked for demolition.

According to the minister, the land was originally allocated for park and recreational purposes but was illegally developed into housing, in violation of the Abuja master plan.

“This place was given for park and recreation, not for the development of an estate. Nobody will allow that,” Wike said.

He warned that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) would no longer tolerate abuse of land-use approvals, stressing that some developers exploit bureaucratic loopholes with the expectation that illegal structures would eventually be regularised.

“People think the government will come and go and they will continue what they are doing. We will not allow that here. It does not matter who is involved; we will do the right thing,” he added.

The minister also referenced a recent enforcement action in which the FCTA demolished structures built on plots allocated to foreign embassies, noting that affected diplomatic missions had been contacted to reclaim and develop their lands.

Wike acknowledged that some infractions may involve collusion with officials within government agencies but insisted that such violations would not be overlooked.

“For instance, before development control can give approval for a building, the owner must present a certificate of occupancy (C-of-O). If there is no C-of-O, how was approval granted? These are some of the problems we face,” he said.

He added that the ongoing inspection is aimed at assessing progress on key road projects slated for inauguration as part of activities marking the third anniversary of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.