Wike Orders Arrest Over Collapsed Abuja Building

In Abuja, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Monday directed security agencies to arrest the owner of a collapsed building and announced that the government would take over the land for public use after a multi-storey hotel structure fell in the Jikwoyi area last Friday.

The directive came after the minister visited the site to assess the situation. During the visit, it was discovered that the building was constructed without approval from the relevant authorities. Officials of the Department of Development Control had earlier issued stop-work notices to the developer, but construction continued despite those warnings.

The collapse did not result in any death, but some individuals were injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. Authorities noted that the situation could have been worse if more people had been inside the building at the time of the incident.

Following the development, the minister ordered that the land be taken over by the government and converted to a project that would serve public interest. He also stated that those involved in the illegal construction would face legal action in line with existing laws.

Plans are underway for the government to engage with members of the local community to decide what type of public project will be carried out on the land after it is recovered.

The minister also directed enforcement agencies to step up monitoring of building activities across the city. This includes stricter action against structures built without approval, as part of efforts to prevent similar incidents.

He added that following proper building procedures allows authorities to supervise construction and ensure that the right materials are used. According to him, unsafe buildings put lives at risk, especially when they are carried out without oversight.

The FCT administration restated its position on protecting residents and property, while calling on developers to follow all required processes to avoid sanctions.