Arrest FCDA’s Executive Secretary- House Directs IG

The House of Representatives has directed the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetekun to
arrest the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA),
Richard Dauda, over alleged breaches of the building code in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

The arrest order was issued by the Chairman House Committee on Public Petitions, Mike Etaba, who also ordered the arrest of the Director of Development Control, and the Director of Regional Planning
Muktar Galadima.

Etaba, who cited the Legislative House’s Powers and Privileges Act 2017, noted that the move followed a petition alledging a building project in Guzape contravened the FCT’s building code.

Etaba explained that the FCDA officials deliberately shunned the committee’s summon on Tuesday and Thursday, prompting the arrest order.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetekun, has also been directed to ensure the officials’ arrest and appearance before the committee on March 28.

Etaba who later led members of the committee to conduct on the spot assessment of the building site in Guzape disclosed that the FCDA officials would surely be compelled to produce documents required to ascertain the veracity of the claim of the petitioner.

“We had a petition that was brought before us by a Nigerian citizen in the course of investigation. FCDA has refused to come and tender documents necessary for us to proceed with this investigation. But for today, we have come to the site where the petition is referring to”.

“We have looked at the building plans and the engineer in site who we met known as Mr. Emmanuel told the committee that there is no approved building plan with him right now. We have looked at the structure, the landmark, the cantilever to which the complainant, who is a Nigerian has a right to his security and safety.”

“We have looked at it and we would go back to the committee and ask for more documents most especially the approved plan so that the FCDA would be able to explain to us the guideline they gave for this building to be able to determine what is actually good for this site and let Nigerians living around here have their peace.we are here to do justice to everybody.”

The Committee had, at its proceedings on Tuesday adopted the petition on Tuesday regarding the plot AO9399 cadastral zone filed by the chairman of the House Committee on Custom, Leke Abejide

Counsel to Abejide, Mr. Samuel Ajayi had explained that the petition before the House committee was in respect of the development of a property at AO9399 Cadastral zone, allegedly contravening the building code of the FCT.

“We have a complaint in respect to a building going on there in Guzape which trespassed into the rights of my client. We are urging the appropriate authority to take the appropriate step address the issue,” he said.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji