Abuja residents tried for failing to redecorate buildings

Speaking during the court trail, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) counsel Barrister Arome Terkula said the mobile court trial involved the residents of Blocks 5 and 2 who had failed to comply with the court’s directive to repaint their buildings.He said, “Letters have been sent earlier to the occupants but they alleged that they never […]

Speaking during the court trail, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) counsel Barrister Arome Terkula said the mobile court trial involved the residents of Blocks 5 and 2 who had failed to comply with the court’s directive to repaint their buildings.
He said, “Letters have been sent earlier to the occupants but they alleged that they never saw any letter.
“Twentyfour persons were supposed to be in court today but 19 persons were represented. It means five persons who failed to appear will be served arrest warrant by the court for their refusal.
“This is a mobile court sitting. We’re here to prosecute those who’ve refused to comply with prescribed directives of development control and which has been encapsulated in the AEPB Act where they made it an offence especially with regard to redecoration in whichever way to project the image of FCT.
“These letters have been sent to them since February. Not less than 100 have been tried since we commenced the exercise.”
The Development Control spokesperson, Mr Kalu Emetu explained that the residents were served notices on three different occasions.
“We give 10 days for the first one and the third one we arrest you immediately after serving you,” Emetu said.
 Kalu said the development control department’s activities are not limited to demolition, adding that as a department that approves building plans, it also has the mandate to ensure that the buildings are maintained to standards.
“When we give out approval for any building, we expect you to maintain a certain standard throughout the life span of the building.
“We ensure that every building as far as people are living there is up to the standard that human beings can live in.  
“Because when buildings continue to deteriorate and eventually collapse, it is the development control that will be blamed and that is why we ensure that human beings live in environment that is meant for human beings and not animals.”