The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate closure of the secretariat of the dissolved Ad-hoc Committee on the Sale of Federal Government Houses in the territory.
The directive effectively ends the operations of the secretariat, which remained in place after the committee completed its assignment to handle issues arising from the sale of Federal Government houses in the FCT.
The development was disclosed 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 has also approved the establishment of a dedicated division within the Department of Land Administration to take over responsibilities previously handled by the defunct committee and its secretariat.
The new division will henceforth be responsible for matters relating to the sale of Federal Government houses within the FCT.
The decision effectively transfers the administrative responsibilities surrounding the sales from the dissolved ad-hoc structure to a permanent department within the FCT Administration.
Public Warned Against Fraudsters
With the closure of the secretariat, residents and other members of the public have been directed to approach the Department of Land Administration for all enquiries and matters relating to the sale of Federal Government houses in Abuja.
The FCT Administration also issued a warning over individuals who may attempt to exploit the transition by falsely presenting themselves as officials of the dissolved committee.
Members of the public were urged to be cautious of fraudsters allegedly posing as staff, officers or members of the former Ad-hoc Committee or its secretariat.
The administration stressed that both the committee and its secretariat no longer exist.
The warning is particularly important for individuals involved in transactions relating to Federal Government houses, as dealings with persons claiming to represent the defunct structure could expose them to fraud.
The FCT Administration therefore advised members of the public to direct all legitimate enquiries and transactions concerning the sale of Federal Government houses to the Department of Land Administration.