The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) on Saturday disowned Popular Nollywood star Tonto Dikeh’s ex-lover, Prince Joseph Kpokpogiri after the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) pulled down his Multi-Million Naira Mansion in Abuja.
Officials of FHA, alongside its Managing Director, Gbenga Ashafa that visited the site of the doomed building three days ago, in the company of some top Management team of FCTA, admitted that the plot of land originally belongs to FHA, but denied that proper building plan was approved before the mansion was erected.
FHA, however, affirmed that notices to stop work were served at different stages and times of the work, but Kpokpogiri refused to comply.
The Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCTA) Engr. Shehu Hadi who was also in the team that visited the site said that the road alignment had been done long ago and FHA was duly notified.
Hadi noted that the road alignment which the demolished building obstructs was designed to serve as an important bypass to the Abuja-Keffi axis.
He added that any plan to realign the road because of the building would be difficult and not a fair judgement to those that it would affect, considering that the demolished building was not in existence earlier when the plan started.
Also speaking, the Director, Department of Development Control, Muktar Galadima said the Multi-billion Naira Mansion, located in the highbrow District of Guzape, Abuja, was unapproved, and can’t be allowed to override public interest.
Galadima noted that the Mansion sitting on a rock in the fast-developing district, is an obstruction to a major road network, connecting the popular Apo bridge to many parts of the city.
According to him, FHA was duly allocated the Area in the district to carry out its Mass Housing programme.
He however, clarified that when the road network of the district was officially realigned, FHA was promptly notified that some plots of lands within its area have been affected.
Galadima added, that FHA was ordered not to allow any further development on the affected plots , as replacement plots will be given to them.
He also denied lack of inter-agency collaboration between FCTA and FHA, stating that all necessary communications were properly documented.
According to him: ”There is adequate inter-agency Corporation, the Federal Housing Authority ( FHA) approached the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for allocation, and they were given global approval and were asked to make sure that whatever they do aligns with the approval
”The plot in question was part of what was in the allocation, but because of the importance of the road, we wrote to FHA, notifying it that a number of your plots have been affected the realignment of the road, and that we are going to give it replacement plots.
We told them that no development should be allowed on the plots, and this was around 2019, we came for site visit and have given them notice. We even marked the building for demolition, but the owner cleaned it off”, Galadima said.
Kpokpogiri, the estranged lover of Popular Nollywood star, Tonto Dikeh has however claimed that the decision to pull down his mansion worth over N700m was an act of oppression.
Kpokpogiri alleged that his house was demolished because he refused to sell it to some ” powerful ” but unnamed individuals who had begged him to sell the property to them.
He assured that he would fight fervently to get justice for the demolished building.
First published in The Independent
