Caramelo club: Management recounts loss, reveals why FCT authority demolished property [PHOTOS]

The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, authority on Monday demolished a popular night club, Caramelo Lounge.

The Lounge, popularly known for its nightlife is located at the Utako area of Abuja.

Speaking with DAILY POST, the Managing Director of the lounge, Max Eze faulted the demolition which he said was done in less than 48 hours after they were served with notice.

According to Eze: “They came here Friday night at about 7pm and marked this place for demolition and today is Monday. By 6.45am, they came and pulled down this structure, there was no prior notice before now.”

Also speaking with DAILY POST, an Accountant with the outfit, Lawan Bolorunduro admitted that the management contravened the land use act.

Bolorunduro disclosed that the land which houses the lounge was originally meant for a hospital.

He, however, disclosed that the management has been paying contravention fee to the Abuja Municipal Management Council legally.

Bolorunduro said: “About three weeks ago, they came to destroy our perimeter fence over claims that we were operating a stripper’s club and they arrested a lot of our strippers and immediately we stopped.

“Since then, we have being trying to settle with them before replacing the fence only for us to receive notice of demolition on Friday evening at about 7pm giving us 48 hours to vacate the premises.

“While we were still trying to see how to pacify the authority, this morning at about 7.30, they were here with their bulldozer and they pulled down the structure. We were not allowed to remove anything from the building.

“Though we contravened the land use act, this land was originally planned to be used for clinic but we are using it for a lounge but we have been paying contravention fee to Abuja Municipal Management Council, while we were still thinking of how to negotiate with them on what next to do, we received the notice of demolition telling us that the place is marked for demolition in the next 48 hours and early this morning, they moved in.

“Well the deed has been done, what we will now do is to approach the law court. We have lost quite a lot, we should be looking at over N80m.”

On the demolition been an off-shoot of complaint by residence, Bolurunduro added: “There has been some few complaints from the residence here, however, most of the complaints may not be from here as it could be our competitors.”

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