Omeiza Ajayi, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA has warned owners of plots in Apo-Dutse Pantaker Site to develop their plots within one month or risk revocation of their titles.

TSenior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the FCT minister, Mr Attah Ikharo who handed down the warning on Monday in Abuja lamented that after the Administration had spent lean state resources to clean up the market, most plot owners have not taken possession of their plots.

He added that about 150 illegal shanties and shops were removed on Monday.

According to him, “We returned to Apo-Dutse pantaker market today after spending several days to remove the illegalities on plots of land but somehow we are not too pleased that most of the allottees have not taken over their lands.

“The Minister of FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, is very bitter and unhappy, because most of the allottees have not taken over their lands and he is spending state resources to do the clean up exercise in terms of buying diesel and paying personnel allowances, servicing the machines etc. What we are hearing is that some of the allottees are speculating with their land and this cannot continue and is unacceptable.

“People who have gotten land in this place and are waiting for us to clear it should immediately report to Development Control within the next one month. Not just fencing the land but also getting building plan approvals and building on it. They should not leave the land vacant for too long, people are going to go in here.

“We will be recommending to the FCT Minister and pleading with him that if in the next one month we do not see meaningful development in terms of fencing and ground breaking for structures because the Minister is spending hugh amount of state resources to clean up, and those who have properties are not taking it over, that the Minister should revoke the land titles.

“The only way you can get them to move out of here is for the plot owners to take over their plots and start development. As long as the plot owners are speculating then pantaker and miscreants will take over their plots”.

Chairman, Association of scrap dealers at the Apo-Dutse pantaker market, Anas Ismail, while fielding questions from journalists, said his members who are over 10, 000 were not regrouping but rather packing up.