FCTA Threatens Revocation of Properties Used by Illegal Groups

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has warned owners of event centres, hotels and other public buildings in Abuja against allowing illegal organisations to use their facilities for meetings or activities capable of disrupting public peace.
The administration said property owners found culpable risk losing their title documents, stressing that land allocations in the FCT are strictly meant for lawful activities.
The warning was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka.
According to the statement, the move is part of efforts to strengthen security in the nation’s capital and support ongoing operations by security agencies.
The FCTA disclosed that activities in event centres, hotels and other public facilities would now be closely monitored to ensure they are not being used by unlawful organisations.
It urged owners and managers of such facilities to verify the legality of organisations seeking to rent their venues and also ascertain the purpose of such gatherings before approving bookings.
The administration specifically cautioned operators during the ongoing political season, directing them to deal only with leaderships of political parties recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“For instance, in this political season, owners of Event Centres and Hotels in particular must ensure that they only deal with INEC recognised leadership of political parties in respect of the use of their facilities, and proper records of transactions must be kept,” the statement read.
The FCTA warned that failure to comply with the directive would lead to revocation of the title documents of affected properties.