In a stunning act of defiance, the Nigeria Police Force constructed 11 duplexes directly beneath high-tension power lines in Abuja, leading to a dramatic demolition and a fiery condemnation from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The Minister visited the Apo-Dutse District site on Friday, expressing outrage after learning that FCT Development Control officials who carried out the demolition on Thursday were subsequently arrested and detained by the Police.
“Government is here to enforce rules, not to break them,” Wike declared. “How can anybody take such a risk, building directly under high-tension lines? Even if there were no high tension, once Development Control says no approval, nobody has the right to take the law into their hands just because they have force.”
The confrontation reveals a brazen abuse of power by the law enforcement institution itself. According to officials, the Police had applied for approval to develop the land, but the request was explicitly denied on safety grounds. The FCT Administration stated the plot was not only directly under high-voltage transmission lines but also within the path of a proposed flood-control bridge.
Ignoring all official warnings and notices, the Police proceeded with construction. When Development Control moved in to enforce the law, its officers were arrested by the very institution they were acting against.
“They refused to stop, they went ahead. When Development Control came here to do the right thing, the officers were arrested. That is unacceptable,” Wike stated, vowing to take the matter to the highest levels of the police force.
The Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, who accompanied the minister, detailed the repeated attempts to stop the illegal construction, all of which were ignored. He confirmed that the 11 duplexes were demolished to avert a potential catastrophe.
Minister Wike expressed shock that a law enforcement agency would so openly violate regulations and endanger lives. “Imagine the danger if these duplexes had been completed and people started living here. One spark, and hundreds of lives would be lost,” he warned.
He assured the public that the FCT Administration would not be intimidated and would continue to enforce the city’s masterplan, regardless of who violates it. The minister promised to formally raise the issue with the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.