Late Col. Ogbebor family raises alarm over threat to demolish ₦3.5bn estate in Abuja
The family of the late Col. Paul Ogbebor has raised alarm over a troubling move by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to demolish their 42-year-old estate in Abuja, valued at an impressive N3.5 billion.
At a press briefing held in Abuja, Vincent Enoghase, the estate’s General Manager, disclosed that the FCDA has issued a demolition notice, basing their decision on claims that the estate’s buildings are dilapidated and uninhabitable.
However, Enoghase refuted these allegations, explaining that the family has been diligently working to secure the Certificate of Occupancy and Right of Occupancy with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration.
He confirmed that the family has already paid ₦10 million of the required ₦42 million to finalise the process, indicating their commitment to compliance.
Enoghase further claimed that the estate has been covertly reallocated to another company, suggesting ulterior motives behind the FCDA’s refusal to grant the necessary documentation to the family.
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Emphasising their integrity, the estate management insisted that they have not breached any laws that would warrant a demolition or reallocation of the property.
They also expressed skepticism regarding the FCDA’s assertions about the state of the buildings, maintaining that the properties are well-maintained and the claims of dilapidation are unfounded.
Despite a court order temporarily halting the demolition, the FCDA has reportedly issued another letter demanding that the family vacate the estate within 24 hours, prompting further concern from the family about the future of their property.
“Now the FCT Development Control is telling us to quit and that they want to pull down the structure. They sent us the papers last week.
“We quickly went to court and we got an order restraining them from doing anything. This morning the FCT Development Control sent another letter, giving us 24 hours to vacate the place for demolition.
“We believe that somebody somewhere is doing funny things to take over the place. Another story we are getting again is that they have allocated that place to somebody else. They have given the person Certificate of Occupancy and Right of Occupancy within two to three weeks,” Enoghase lamented.
These concerns were further echoed by a son of the late Colonel, Ikponmwosa Paul Ogbebor, who expressed frustration over what he described as a betrayal of his father’s legacy.
He appealed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to intervene in the matter, stressing that the family had occupied the property long before the development of other prominent areas in Abuja, such as Transcorp Hilton and Maitama.
“My late father (Ogbebor) is part and parcel of the creation of Abuja. We have had tenants living in that property for over 30 years and 80% are expatriates. They call it home,” he stated.
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