Wike Orders Immediate Closure of Illegal Car Lots on Abuja Green Areas

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate closure of illegal car dealership lots operating on green areas, parks and gardens across Abuja.

Wike also directed the FCT Administration to closely monitor the affected locations and ensure they are not converted for purposes other than those for which they were originally designated.

The directive was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.

According to the statement, Wike expressed concern over the conversion of areas reserved for parks and recreation into car dealership lots, citing Millennium Park and other similar locations as examples.

The minister said the move was part of ongoing efforts by the FCT Administration to tackle flooding and protect the city’s environmental infrastructure.

To enforce the directive, Wike ordered the establishment of a task force to monitor the affected areas and ensure compliance.

He also ordered an investigation into some civil servants accused of granting illegal approvals for the use of designated green areas as car dealership lots.

“The affected officials, particularly the Directors of Parks and Recreation, Environmental Protection, Traffic Management and Urban Affairs, have been summoned to explain their roles,” the statement said.

The officials were summoned by the FCT Head of the Civil Service, Nancy Sabanti Nathan, to explain their involvement in granting the approvals.

The minister’s directive comes amid renewed efforts by the FCT Administration to address flooding, protect designated green spaces and enforce Abuja’s physical development regulations.