The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate stoppage of the use of green areas, parks and gardens in Abuja as car dealership lots and for other unauthorised commercial activities.
Wike also directed an investigation into officials of the FCT Administration allegedly involved in granting approvals for the conversion of areas reserved for recreation, greenery and environmental protection into commercial facilities.
The directive was announced on Wednesday by the FCT Administration as part of efforts to enforce the Abuja Master Plan and curb indiscriminate development in the nation’s capital.
According to a statement by Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the minister expressed concern over the use of areas designated for parks and recreation, including portions of the Millennium Park and other green spaces, as car dealerships.
He directed that all unauthorised activities in the affected areas be stopped immediately and that the spaces be closely monitored to prevent further encroachment.
To enforce the directive, Wike constituted a task force to identify and remove unauthorised commercial activities from the affected green areas.
The FCT Head of Service, Nancy Sabanti Nathan, has also summoned the Directors of Parks and Recreation, Environmental Protection, Traffic Management and Urban Affairs for investigation over their alleged roles in approving the use of green areas as car dealership lots.
The investigation is expected to establish how the approvals were granted and identify officials responsible for authorising the alleged illegal conversions.
The latest move comes amid growing concerns over flooding, environmental degradation and alleged violations of Abuja’s original development plan.
The FCT Administration has maintained that preserving green areas, drainage corridors and other environmentally sensitive spaces is crucial to improving water management and maintaining the environmental integrity of the capital.
Wike has repeatedly warned that government spaces designated for recreation, environmental protection and public use cannot be converted into private commercial facilities without proper authorisation.
The administration said the task force would ensure compliance with the directive and continue monitoring the affected areas to prevent renewed encroachment.
The action forms part of the minister’s broader efforts to restore order to Abuja and enforce development regulations in line with the city’s master plan.
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