Wike Orders Crackdown on Illegal Car Dealerships in Abuja Green Areas

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered a crackdown on unauthorised car dealerships operating within designated green areas and public parks in Abuja.

Wike issued the directive on Saturday, August 22, 2026, after inspecting ongoing projects across the nation’s capital.

He warned that vehicles found on designated green areas would be impounded, while the affected locations would be shut down and could face further enforcement action, including the auctioning of seized vehicles.

The minister expressed concern over the conversion of public parks and green belts into commercial spaces, particularly for the sale of vehicles.

According to him, some of the illegal developments were facilitated by corrupt officials within the civil service who allegedly issued fraudulent allocation documents to operators without the necessary approval from the FCT Administration.

“Parks have now turned to where they sell vehicles,” Wike said, expressing frustration over the development.

He explained that approvals for development control are handled by relevant government departments and agencies, rather than directly by the minister.

Wike said the FCT Administration had now established a specialised task force to tackle the violations and restore Abuja’s designated green areas in line with the city’s master plan.

“As this has come to our notice, we’ve set up a task force. If you don’t leave the green area, we’ll carry your vehicles. In fact, maybe we will auction them,” he said.

He added that any vehicle found in a designated green area would be impounded and the premises shut down.

The directive signals an imminent enforcement operation targeting illegal conversions of Abuja’s parks and green belts, while the minister also vowed to address officials involved in unauthorised allocations.