By Aaron Ossai
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions yesterday ordered the arrest of the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, (FCDA), Mr. Richard Dauda over alleged breach of building code in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Committee also ordered the arrest of the Director, Department of Development Control (FCTA), Mr. Muktar Galadima and the Director of Regional Planning of the FCT.
The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Mike Etaba during proceedings explained that the decision to issue the warrant of arrest on the aforementioned officials was in tandem with the extant provision of the Legislative Houses powers and privileges Act 2017.
The Committee thereby directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetekun to not only ensure the arrest of the aforementioned officials but compel them to appear before the committee on the 28th of this month to explain their role on the committal of the alleged infraction.
Etaba explained that he was left with no option but to summon the FCDA officials after they deliberately shunned the summon of the Committee on Tuesday and Thursday this week.
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 on site who we met known as Mr. Emmanuel who we met told the committee that there is no approved building plan with him right now. We have looked at the structure, the landmark, the cantilever that 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”, he said.
It would be recalled that the Committee had at its proceedings on Tuesday adopted the petition on the issue regarding plot AO9399 cadastral zone filed by the chairman of the House committee on Custom, Elder Leke Abejide.
