The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has warned owners of hotels, event centres, and other public facilities in Abuja against granting access to organisations deemed illegal, stating that properties used for such gatherings risk losing their land titles.
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The warning was issued in a statement on Friday by the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.
According to the administration, land allocations within the Federal Capital Territory are meant strictly for lawful activities, adding that authorities would intensify monitoring of hotels, event centres, and similar public facilities across Abuja.
What the FCTA is saying
The FCTA said the move forms part of broader efforts to strengthen security within the nation’s capital and support ongoing operations by security agencies.
The administration warned that any facility found to have hosted gatherings linked to illegal organisations could face severe sanctions, including the revocation of title documents attached to the property.
- “This is aimed at ensuring that they are not used by illegal organisations for gatherings capable of disrupting the peace of the nation’s capital,” the statement read.
The administration further advised owners and operators of such facilities to carry out due diligence before approving bookings, especially for political, social, or organisational meetings.
It specifically urged event centre owners and hotel operators to recognise only leadership structures of political parties officially recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when granting access for political activities.
The FCTA also directed facility owners to maintain proper records of all transactions and engagements involving organisations seeking to use their premises.
According to the administration, compliance with the directive would help authorities track activities capable of threatening public order or undermining security within the territory.
- “Owners of these facilities are, therefore, urged to take cognisance of the legality of organisations seeking to use their facilities and the purpose before letting them out,” the statement added.
What you should know
The latest directive comes amid heightened security concerns in parts of the country and growing scrutiny of public gatherings, particularly within the Federal Capital Territory, which hosts key government institutions, diplomatic missions, and national political activities.
- The FCTA has in recent months intensified enforcement actions linked to land use compliance, illegal structures, and security-related infractions across Abuja.
- In 2023, Nairametrics previously reported that the Department of Development Control had warned former owners of 165 revoked properties in the FCT against attempting to return to the lands or continue construction activities on them.
Director of the department, Mukhtar Galadima, issued the warning during an enforcement operation in Maitama, Abuja, after officials reportedly discovered attempts by some former landowners to resume development work on revoked plots, particularly during weekends.
