FCTA rejects AEDC’s land grabbing allegation, demands public apology

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), through its Department of Development Control, has dismissed allegations by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) accusing its officials of unlawfully encroaching on the C2 Maitama Substation.

According to a statement issued by the Acting Director of the Department, Bashir Madaki Sunusi, the officials were responding to a complaint from a lawful land allottee with a valid Certificate of Occupancy, who alleged that access to his property had been obstructed.

The Department said its team, accompanied by surveyors, visited the site to verify the land boundaries and establish beacons to determine whether any encroachment had occurred.

The Department maintained that no electricity infrastructure was tampered with during the exercise, insisting that power supply remained uninterrupted when its officials left the area.

It also claimed that AEDC officials invited its team to a meeting after the inspection but failed to honour the appointment, despite the team waiting for several hours.

The FCTA further accused AEDC of attempting to blackmail and intimidate its staff through what it described as a defamatory public statement. The Department stressed that it would not be deterred from enforcing development control regulations and advised AEDC to present any land ownership claims through the appropriate legal and administrative channels.

ALSO READ:Tinubu defends FCTA’s TSA exit, says policy fast-tracked Abuja projects

The Department demanded that AEDC withdraw the publication from all platforms and issue an unreserved public apology to the Department and the affected officials. It warned that failure to comply would leave it with no option but to seek legal redress for the alleged defamation.