The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) are not allowed to give street names or house numbers in Abuja, according to a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court ruling.
The Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, was not consulted in the illegal mounting of street, crescent, and road names, so Justice Edward Okpe, who delivered the judgment, mandated their removal by the AMMC and other FCDA departments.
In addition, the court ruled that only AMAC has the authority to name streets and roads and assign house numbers across all Area Councils in Abuja.
The ruling is the result of a lawsuit brought by Abuja resident Chief Obidi Ume.
Justice Okpe held that none of the Defendants was able to refute or contradict facts and proof of evidence the Plaintiff adduced before the court.
After declaring the action of the 2nd and 3rd defendants as illegal the court ordered the restoration of the name of the Plaintiff on the street/crescent forthwith.
It also awarded the sum of N25m as general and exemplary damages against the two Defendants, jointly and severally.
Justice Okpe declared that AMMC, ie the 3rd Defendant herein or any other department or the FCDA, 2nd Defendant, itself do not have the powers of street and road naming and house numbering in AMAC or any other Area Council for that matter in Abuja.
“An order of perpetual injunction is hereby made restraining the AMMC, the 3rd Defendant herein and any other department or agency of the FCDA, 2nd Defendant from further destruction and demolition of Roads and Streets names by the AMAC of which the plaintiff is a beneficiary”.
In his suit, the Plaintiff asked praying it to among other things, determine; “Whether having regard to the provisions of Sections 7, 303 and 318 of the First Schedule Part II and Fourth Schedule Section 1(g) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the AMAC, is not conferred with the powers of naming roads and streets, the numbering of houses within the Area Council as done by every Local Government Area in Nigeria”.
In addition, he sought the determination of the court as to “Whether the AMMC or any other Department under the FCDA has the powers to demolish, dismantle or destroy street posts and sign boards mounted by the AMAC or any other Area Council for that matter in view of the provisions of Sections 7, 303, 318, Part II of the First Schedule and Section 1 (g) of the Fourth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended”.
Plaintiff told the court that AMAC which was listed as the 1st Defendant in the suit, had by a letter dated December 7, 2016, requested him to purchase the Street Naming Subscription Form in the sum of N25, 000.00.
He told the court that on April 13, 2018, the FCDA, which is the 2nd Defendant, notified him that approval was given for a street to be named after him and requested payment of related charges totalling the sum of N550, 000.
Ume testified in court that AMAC appropriately named the street/crescent after him after the payment was confirmed and installed the relevant signposts and house numbering plaques.
When he enquired, he was told that individuals posing as FCDA and AMMC officials, the latter of which was named as the third defendant in the lawsuit, entered the crescent in the company of security personnel while carrying diggers, axes, and other dangerous implements, and destroyed and removed the street signposts and house numbering plates bearing his name.
On April 20, 2022, he claimed he was surprised to hear that the street had been renamed after Mr. Adesola Olushade, the FCDA’s Permanent Secretary.