The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has issued a strong warning to the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Richard Dauda, threatening to order his arrest for failing to provide an explanation regarding his involvement in the alleged violation of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) building code.
The committee, which convened on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at the National Assembly in Abuja, has set a deadline for Dauda to appear before them on Thursday, March 13, 2025. If he continues to defy the summons, the committee, chaired by Mike Etaba, the lawmaker representing Obubra Etung Federal Constituency in Cross River State, warned that it would have no choice but to issue a warrant for his arrest.
The investigation is centered around accusations that the FCTA may have failed to uphold building regulations, which are crucial for maintaining safety standards within the nation’s capital.
The Committee’s stance was shaped following the adoption of a petition concerning Plot AO9399 in the Cadastral Zone, filed by Mr. Leke Abejide, the chairman of the House Committee on Customs.
Etaba, expressing the committee’s commitment to addressing the matter promptly, questioned why Mr. Dauda, despite being based in the nation’s capital, chose to be absent from the hearing.
Mr. Samuel Ajayi, counsel to Abejide, informed reporters at the conclusion of the committee proceedings that he had submitted a similar petition to key officials, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and the Director of the Department of Development Control, Muktar Galadima, urging them to intervene in the matter.
“The petition we have presented to the House is a special appeal for the Chairman’s prompt intervention regarding the ongoing development of a property located at AO9399 Cadastral Zone, which is in violation of the FCT building code.”
“We have received a complaint regarding ongoing construction at the site, which has encroached upon the rights of our client. We urge the relevant authorities to take immediate and appropriate action to resolve the matter,” he stated.
