The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has pulled down a mansion belonging to Prince Joseph Kpokpogiri, the estranged lover of popular Nollywood actor, Tonto Dikeh.
Officials of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) led by its Managing Director, Gbenga Ashafa, had visited the site of the building three days ago.
They had said the plot of land originally belongs to FHA, but that the building plan was not approved before the mansion was erected.
FHA said notices to stop work were served at different stages and time of the work, but Kpokpogiri refused to comply.
The Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority , Engr. Shehu Hadi, who was also in the team that visited the site, said that the road alignment had been done long ago and FHA was duly notified.
Hadi noted that the road alignment which the demolished building obstructs, was designed to serve as an important bypass to Abuja-Keffi axis.
He added that any plan to realign the road because of the building would be difficult and not fair judgement to those that it would affect, considering that the demolished building was not in existence earlier when the plan started.
The Director, Department of Development Control, Muktar Galadima, said the Multi-billion Naira Mansion, located in the highbrow District of Guzape, Abuja, was an unapproved, and can’t be allowed to over ride public interest.
Galadima said the mansion sitting on a rock in the fast developing district, was an obstruction to a major road network, connecting the popular Apo bridge to many parts of the city.
According to him, FHA was duly allocated the Area in the district to carry out its mass housing programme.
He however, clarified that when the road network of the district was officially realigned, FHA was promptly notified that some plots of lands within its area had been affected.
Galadima added that FHA was ordered not to allow any further development on the affected plots , as replacement plots will be given to them.
He also denied lack of inter-agency collaboration between FCTA and FHA, stating that all necessary communications were properly documented.
“There is adequate inter-agency Corporation, the Federal Housing Authority ( FHA) approached the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for allocation, and they were given global approval and were asked to make sure that whatever they do aligns with the approval
Kpokpogiri has, however, claimed that his mansion was worth over N700m, alleging that it was demolished because he refused to sell it to some ” powerful ” but unnamed individuals.
He said he would fight to get justice.
(Daily Trust)
