By Ibrahim Danladi

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has revealed its intention to revoke properties that were originally designated for residential use but have been converted for other purposes without proper approval.

In a press conference held in Abuja on Friday, the Director of Development Control for FCT, Mukhtar Galadima, explained that the Federal Government had initiated a monetization program in 2005 and later sold these properties to individuals for maintenance.

Over time, many property owners altered the intended use of these houses, which the FCTA can no longer tolerate. Galadima emphasized, “The minister has approved and directed that all property owners must restore their properties to their original designated use, which is residential.”

Furthermore, owners of properties, especially those situated along major streets, who have converted their properties without proper approval, must either revert to the original residential use or face contravention charges.

The FCTA has set a deadline for compliance by November 1, and if owners fail to adhere to these directives, their properties will be considered revoked and returned to the FCTA. The Development Control department has already identified more than 111 cases of land use conversion related to these sold properties.