The Federal Capital Territory Administration will demolish no fewer than 140 illegal structures built on service corridors in Kuruduma II and Kpaduma II communities in Guzape District.

Chief Town Planning Officer, FCT Department of Development Control, Mr. Thompson Hope, made the disclosure while briefing newsmen shortly after inspecting the illegal structures on Wednesday in Abuja.

Hope said the department had earlier issued a seven-day ultimatum to the inhabitants of the affected illegal structures in the area, adding that as soon as the ultimatum expires om Monday, November 25, demolition would begin.

He said the development control had marked some of the illegal structures for demolition as far back as two or three years ago.

He also said that the department had carried out several sensitisation campaigns to the indigenous communities for many years, but they had refused to abide by the FCTA regulations on land allocation.

According to him, the indigenous communities and villages had expanded beyond the indigenous settlements and most of the expansion and illegal structure in the areas are being sold by the indigenous communities.

He said the department held several meetings with the leaders of the indigenous peoples on the need for them to stop selling plots of land.

“We have, several times, warned the indigenous communities, including the local chiefs, that all the lands in FCT are vested in the FCT Minister and that they should desist from selling lands.

“Some people are so desperate and desirous to build, thinking that before government takes action they will either make one or two profits out of it.

“These illegal structures are already built on service corridors where plot allottees are desirous to develop their properties; but because of this development along the corridor, they cannot take possession of their plots.

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“Recently, the FCTA has sent signals to plot allottees to take possession of their plots, else they stand a chance of being revoked and that has put us under enormous pressure as a department.

“By our estimates, we have about 140 illegal structures on these corridors. We have given them seven-day ultimatum and hopefully, by the expiration of the ultimatum, we are coming to demolish all the illegal structures.

“The notice was given to them on Monday, November 18 and it will expire by Monday, November 25

”Hopefully, on Tuesday, we will come with our machines to demolish them,” he said.

On the issue of compensation to the owners of the illegal structures, Hope said compensation was a policy issue that could only be handled by the minister.