The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has disclosed its plan to withdraw and revoke houses and properties sold to individuals but converted for purposes other than residential.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, the FCT Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, said the Federal Government had in 2005 initiated a monetisation programme but eventually sold the houses to occupiers so they could maintain them.
He added that after some time, owners converted the houses for other purposes, a development the FCTA said it could no longer condone.
Galadima stated, “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 1st November, the house is considered revoked and returned to the FCTA”.
He noted that the department had recorded more than 111 cases of land use conversion in respect of the sold houses.
