Headlines

FCTA warns event centres, hotels against patronage by illegal bodies

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has officially warned owners of event centres, hotels, and public buildings in Abuja that their land titles will be revoked if they accommodate illegal or unregistered organisations for gatherings.

The warning was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka.

According to the statement, land allocations within the Federal Capital Territory are strictly for lawful purposes, adding that sanctions would be imposed on defaulters.

The administration stated: “Going forward, title documents of any event centre, hotel or public building that is used for the gathering of illegal organisations will be revoked.”

It explained that the directive formed part of measures aimed at strengthening security and supporting efforts to maintain peace and order in the nation’s capital.

The statement added: “In view of the need to further ensure the security of lives and properties in the FCT and sustain the efforts of security agencies in this regard, usage of event centres, hotels and other public buildings will now be closely monitored.

“This is aimed at ensuring that they are not used by illegal organisations for gatherings capable of disrupting the peace of the nation’s capital.”

The FCTA urged owners of such facilities to verify the legality of organisations seeking to use their premises and ascertain the purpose of such gatherings before approving bookings.

“Owners of these facilities are therefore urged to take cognisance of the legality of organisations seeking to use their facilities and the purpose before letting them out,” the statement added.

It also warned operators of event centres and hotels to be cautious in dealing with political groups, especially during the ongoing political season.

“For instance, in this political season, owners of event centres and hotels in particular must ensure that they only deal with Independent National Electoral Commission-recognised leadership of political parties in respect of the use of their facilities, and proper records of transactions must be kept,” the statement said.

The administration further warned that non-compliance with the directive would attract severe consequences.

“Failure to comply with this directive will result in the revocation of the title documents for such properties,” it warned.

The directive comes amid increasing political activity and security concerns in the FCT as political parties and interest groups begin positioning ahead of the 2027 general election.

Related Articles

Back to top button