Wike Orders Demolition of 30 Buildings Blocking Abuja Ring Road 3

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate demolition of about 30 buildings allegedly encroaching on the Right of Way of the Ring Road 3 corridor in Abuja.

Wike issued the directive on Thursday during an inspection of ongoing road infrastructure projects linking Karsana District, Gwarinpa and the Kubwa axis.

The minister expressed anger after being informed that several structures had been erected directly within the corridor designated for the Ring Road 3 interchange infrastructure.

The Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Richard Dauda, briefed the minister on the affected structures, explaining that the area had been reserved for the Ring Road 3 project under the Abuja Master Plan.

Reacting to the discovery, Wike directed officials of the Department of Development Control to immediately commence action against the structures.

“We’ll have to demolish this right now. Demolish the building down,” the minister ordered.

Wike also questioned how buildings could have been permitted within a corridor reserved for a major road interchange.

“How can it be like this? It’s even a road, it’s not even a layout—it’s an interchange,” he said.

The minister’s directive is expected to clear the affected Right of Way and allow uninterrupted construction of the Ring Road 3 corridor and associated interchange infrastructure.

Ring Road 3 construction progresses

Speaking to journalists at the project site, Dauda said construction work on the second bridge along the corridor was progressing despite the rocky terrain.

“Here is rocky; there’s no piling, so they’ve already started the foundation. It won’t delay, so bridge works will continue,” he said.

He explained that the project corridor runs through Karsana District towards Kubwa Road, also known as the Outer Northern Expressway (ONEX), and extends towards Airport Road.

Dauda said the planned flyover would terminate at a particular point, from where Ring Road 3 would continue along its designated alignment towards Airport Road.

The discovery of the structures has renewed concerns over development control in the FCT, particularly the erection of private buildings along corridors reserved for major public infrastructure.

Wike, however, said the FCT Administration would not allow unauthorised developments to frustrate major transportation projects, stressing the need to protect the integrity of the Abuja Master Plan.

The demolition order is expected to pave the way for continued construction of the Ring Road 3 project and its associated interchange infrastructure.