FCTA Officials Take Blame for Gaduwa Land Clash That Drew Wike to Tense Standoff

FCTA officials have taken responsibility for the confrontation at a disputed site in Gaduwa District that drew Minister Nyesom Wike into a clash with naval personnel earlier in the week. The incident, captured in a viral video, showed naval officers preventing the minister from accessing Plot 1946, a property linked to a former naval chief.

After the FCT Executive Committee meeting, Director of Development Control Mukhtar Galadima offered a detailed account of how the misunderstanding escalated. He said his team first encountered resistance on October 17 while asking for approval documents for an ongoing development along the Southern Parkway. According to him, armed naval personnel threatened the officials when they attempted to verify the status of the construction.

Galadima said efforts to resolve the matter through internal contacts were unsuccessful. The only document eventually presented by representatives of the claimants was a 2007 letter of intent from the Department of Parks and Recreation, which he stressed does not equate to a development approval. He explained that he appealed repeatedly for proper documentation but was met with evasive responses, prompting concern over the legality of the project.

He added that the atmosphere on site became so tense that he sent a distress call to the minister due to the positioning of armed officers. Galadima apologised for drawing the minister into a situation that later unfolded in public view, saying the enforcement team was simply carrying out its mandate under the FCT Act and urban planning regulations.

Providing additional clarity, Director of Lands Administration Chijioke Nwankwoeze said the claimants had no statutory title to the land. He noted that the 18-year-old letter of intent only permitted the operation of a park and did not grant the right to build or occupy the land. He added that the conditions attached to the letter—such as submission of a detailed technical proposal and completion of development within a year—were never met.

Nwankwoeze said the occupants eventually returned to the site and began construction without approval, which triggered the intervention by Development Control. He emphasised that no development is permitted in Abuja without proper certification to ensure alignment with the city’s master plan.

Both officials reiterated that the enforcement actions were necessary to protect due process, even as they acknowledged the disruption and public attention caused by the confrontation.