The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ministerial Task Force has halted ongoing construction activities at the contended River Park Estate in Lugbe, Abuja, and arrested workers who were allegedly found to be in violation of a subsisting court order.
An Abuja High Court had earlier directed parties in the estate dispute to maintain the status quo pending the resolution of ownership and development rights within the estate.
On Wednesday, officials of the task force, working with security agencies, visited the estate to enforce compliance. Some workers found on site were taken into custody for disregarding the stop-work order.
In addition, the FCT Administration demolished over 30 substructures, citing violations of planning regulations. According to the administration, affected developers had continued work despite the withdrawal of their lease agreements and a ministerial committee recommendation that undeveloped plots be reverted to the FCTA.
The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had on August 8, 2025, inaugurated an ad-hoc committee to review issues surrounding the estate.
The committee, chaired by Salman Dako, a lawyer, submitted its report last week, recommending the revocation of undeveloped plots that had either expired or breached the Development Lease Agreement (DLA).
It also clarified that holders of valid customary titles who had developed their plots in line with regulations should retain their titles, in accordance with a court judgment.
Leading the enforcement, the Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, said the demolition became necessary after intelligence reports indicated that some developers were rushing to complete structures in defiance of directives.
“About a week ago, one of the committees on River Park Estate recommended that all undeveloped plots within the estate be reverted back to the FCTA. We got reports that certain developers were hurriedly working day and night to develop some of the vacant plots. As an agency, we served them notice to stop work. This morning, we saw them still working, so we are removing the structures and excavating all those foundations put on the ground,” Galadima said.
He confirmed that over 30 foundations had already been dug, adding that they would all be covered to prevent further development.
“Whatever we see on site, we remove it. Luckily, they are just at excavation level. But wherever we see any new development coming up, we will remove it again,” he warned.
It was also gathered that despite the stop-work order, construction was still ongoing in some sections of the estate, including the Sector Center and Cluster 3.
