By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has vowed to punish an Abuja landlord for drilling over 200 meters borehole on a major walk road in front of an estate at No 4, Sani Zangon Daura street, off Bala Muhammad Way, Guzape District.
The authorities on operation on Tuesday arrested five workers found working on the site.
Director, Department of Development Control, Muktar Galadima, who led the operation, warned developers and landlords against destruction of public properties, as he warned that the FCT Administration would not hesitate to use relevant laws to prosecute any violators.
Galadima who decried the abuse of public law said, “We woke up with someone drilling borehole on our road, they drilled the borehole on our pedestrian walkway, in fact my heart is pained.”
“This is a serious damage to the environment. Definitely we are going to prosecute him. That is why we are liasing with Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB, and other relevant agencies to prosecute the offenders. This is damaging public property. This is vandalization. ”
The Director while warning other developers said, “This is an opportunity for me to warn other developers that we will not accept this from any developer.”
“We will resist any attempt by any developer to use pedestrian walkway to drill borehole. You have your property and you must obtain approval before you can drill borehole wherever it is going to be.”
He disclosed that a concerned citizen that drew the attention of FCDA to it. “We will not allow this. We will continue monitoring developments in Abuja, even during weekends. ”
Head, Monitoring and Enforcement, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Kaka Bello, in agreement with Galadima, said that the owner of the building would be charged to court according to the Board’s Act.
“This is a walkway meant for us and we will charge them to court isinglass our relevant laws”, he said.
Chief Engineer in charge of that Guzape area, Engr. Aliyu Ahmed lamented the rate at which boreholes were being drilled indiscriminately in the area.
“The issue of drilling of boreholes on our walkway has been rampant. There are many boreholes sunk around this area alone.
“We are going to lock up all the illegal boreholes. Drilling borehole on the road corridor is illegal. KYou can drill borehole inside your compound but the outside of your compound doesn’t belong to you”.
A staff of the drilling firm handling the project, Davita Drill Tech, Solomon Donald told journalists that they started the drilling since Sunday.
He however could not ascertain whether there was a permit from the authorities to drill since the owner of the house could not be reached.
He and and three of his colleagues, and a gateman at the property were taken by FCTA authorities for further questioning.
