FCT: ‘Go and buy land’ – Wike sacks Abuja car dealers

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has issued an immediate ban on the unauthorized conversion of public recreational areas and green spaces into commercial car dealerships within Abuja, the Nigerian capital. This directive targets parks and carports situated near Millennium Park, as part of an effort to mitigate flooding problems plaguing certain areas of the city.

During a tour of projects across the FCT, Wike emphasized that aspiring car dealers should first secure land to establish their businesses in accordance with the law. Additionally, Wike announced the establishment of a specialized task force tasked with enforcing compliance and removing all unlicensed auto dealers from green zones.

He asserted, "You can imagine, everywhere you have green areas, you have carports now. So, I’ve already stopped it, and I’ve set up a task force to make sure that every car dealer is moved out of the green areas." Wike further stated, "If you want to sell your car, you go and purchase somewhere and then develop it. Not where you see green, you just go and start selling cars where a recreational park is supposed to be. We will not accept it again."