Naija247News reports that renewed tensions have emerged between the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) following mounting complaints from hotel operators, food vendors and other business owners over alleged harassment and illegal levies within the Federal Capital Territory. Naija247News gathered that the affected operators accused AMAC officials of issuing repeated demand notices and threatening to seal business premises despite prior compliance with FCTA-approved regulations and existing court rulings.
Naija247News understands that the dispute stems from two landmark FCT High Court judgments which declared AMAC’s powers over public health and environmental regulation illegal. In one of the cases, Bureau of Public Enterprises v. AMAC, Justice Muawiyah Idris ruled that the council lacked ministerial approval to legislate in the sector, rendering its environmental sanitation bye-law invalid. The position was reaffirmed in Devyani International Nigeria Ltd. v. AMAC, where Justice Y. Halilu held that environmental and food safety regulation rests exclusively with the FCTA.
Despite these rulings, business owners allege ongoing intimidation. One operator, Rebecca Aminu, lamented that the practice was crippling small businesses already battling a tough economy. Another entrepreneur, Folorunsho Emmanuel, described the charges as double taxation, insisting that operators were being dragged to court for refusing to pay twice for the same services.
Responding to the controversy, the Director of Public Health at the FCTA Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr. Dan Gadzama, cautioned business owners against making payments to AMAC on matters already settled by the courts, stressing that such payments would not be recognised. Naija247News reports that the Head of Tax and Revenue, Alhaji Musa Isah, further assured stakeholders that legal and administrative mechanisms were being deployed to resolve the institutional conflict.
The FCTA legal representative, Alex Ibe, also warned that continued defiance of valid court orders could amount to contempt, adding that the administration may explore further legal action to safeguard business operations and restore regulatory clarity.
Naija247News gathered that the FCTA has pledged to protect investors and small businesses from undue pressure while ensuring that statutory revenue channels remain transparent and lawful. Stakeholders, however, insist that the implementation of the court rulings must translate into immediate relief on the ground.
As the dispute lingers, Naija247News understands that many operators are hoping for a lasting resolution that will eliminate overlapping authorities, restore confidence and prevent disruptions to economic activities in the nation’s capital.
Babatunde Ogunsakin ✔
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