The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), led by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, has warned owners of event centres, hotels, and other public facilities in Abuja against allowing their premises to be used by illegal organisations or political groups not recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The administration said any facility found to have hosted gatherings organised by such groups could face revocation of its land title documents.

The warning was conveyed in a statement issued on Friday by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka.

According to the statement, the directive is part of measures aimed at strengthening security within the nation’s capital and supporting ongoing operations by security agencies.

“In view of the need to further ensure the security of lives and properties in the FCT and sustain the efforts of security agencies in this regard, usage of event centres, hotels, and other public buildings will now be closely monitored,” the statement said.

The FCTA explained that the move is intended to prevent unlawful groups from using public facilities for gatherings capable of threatening peace and public order in the territory.

The administration also urged operators of event centres and hotels to properly verify the status and legitimacy of organisations seeking to use their facilities, as well as maintain adequate records of all transactions.

The statement further advised facility owners to engage only with leaderships of political parties officially recognised by INEC, particularly during the ongoing political season.

“For instance, in this political season, owners of event centres and hotels in particular must ensure that they only deal with INEC-recognised leadership of political parties in respect of the use of their facilities, and proper records of transactions must be kept,” the statement added.

It warned that failure to comply with the directive could result in the revocation of land titles associated with affected properties.

The FCTA reiterated that lands allocated within the Federal Capital Territory are intended strictly for lawful purposes.