Ministerial Task Force Halts Illegal Development At Abuja River Park Estate

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ministerial Task Force has halted construction activities at the disputed River Park Estate in Lugbe, Abuja, following the arrest of workers and a developer who allegedly defied a subsisting court order.
The enforcement exercise, which took place on Wednesday, was carried out by officials of the FCT Administration (FCTA) in collaboration with security agencies. Over 30 structures at foundation level were also demolished during the operation.
The intervention came after an Abuja High Court ordered all parties in the estate crisis to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the matter.
It was gathered that Mr. Paul Odili, identified by the workers as their employer, was arrested and handed over to security operatives. He was reportedly released on a N200 million bail with a directive to submit his international passport.
Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, who led the enforcement team, explained that the demolition became necessary after intelligence revealed that developers were rushing to erect structures in defiance of the court and administrative orders.
“About a week ago, one of the committees on River Park Estate recommended that all undeveloped plots within the estate be reverted to the FCTA. Despite serving stop-work notices, some developers continued excavation and foundation works. This morning, we saw them still working, so we are removing all such structures,” Galadima said.
The FCTA accused some developers, including Paulo Homes and Aazik Homes, of ignoring official directives and continuing construction within Sector Center and Cluster 3 of the estate.
It would be recalled that FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, on August 8, 2025, inaugurated a ministerial committee chaired by Barr. Salman Dako to review the controversies surrounding the estate. The committee’s report, submitted last week, recommended the revocation of undeveloped plots due to expiration and breaches of the Development Lease Agreement (DLA), in line with Clause 9.2 of the agreement.
While the committee upheld the rights of valid customary title holders who complied with planning regulations, it recommended that all reverted plots be repossessed by the FCTA.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation had earlier directed the Nigeria Police to suspend all actions relating to Charge No. CR/402/25 and forward the case file for independent review.
Stakeholders have expressed concern that the River Park Estate controversy, which has been trailed by allegations of forged corporate filings and disregard for judicial and administrative directives, could further undermine investor confidence in Abuja’s real estate sector.