Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has condemned the arrest of officials from the Development Control Department of the FCT Administration by the police, following the demolition of 11 duplexes reportedly built under high-tension power lines in Abuja.
The structures, located in Apo-Dutse District, were said to belong to the Police Pension Commission.
According to the FCTA, the buildings posed a serious safety risk and had been constructed in violation of development regulations.
Speaking during an inspection visit to the site on Friday evening, Minister Wike expressed dismay that a government agency such as the Nigerian Police would flout building regulations it is expected to enforce.
“Yesterday, I received a report from the Development Control Department that buildings were being erected under high-tension lines. These structures, unfortunately, belong to the Nigerian Police,” Wike said.
“They applied for building approval, but the request was denied due to the location. Despite this, they ignored warnings and continued construction. Even more troubling is that when enforcement officials arrived, they were arrested by the Police. I had to come here myself to assess the situation.”
Minister Wike reiterated that no institution is above the law, adding that the government must lead by example in upholding regulations.
“Even if there were no high-tension cables, once approval has been denied by Development Control, no agency has the right to proceed with construction. We must enforce laws, not break them.”
Director of the Development Control Department, Muktar Galadima, provided background on the matter. He confirmed that the disputed site, Plot 189, Cadastral Zone B14, Dutse District, was allocated to the Nigeria Police Force in 2018 for institutional development.
“When they applied for approval, we conducted a site inspection and found that the proposed structures were directly beneath a high-tension electricity line. Based on this, we denied the application and issued several warning notices,” Galadima said.
He further revealed that the Department of Engineering had also identified the site as a key location for a flood-control bridge, making it unsuitable for residential construction.
“Despite these warnings, the Police proceeded with excavation and construction. During our enforcement action, some of our staff were detained by the Police. I had to escalate the issue to the Minister, who responded promptly.”
The FCTA has maintained that it acted in the public interest, citing both safety concerns and legal violations as justification for the demolition.
Minister Wike warned that future violations, regardless of the offender’s identity, would be met with strict enforcement.
“Lawlessness cannot be tolerated in any form. Government institutions must set the standard for accountability and rule of law,” Wike concluded.
