An FCT High Court sitting in Jabi has advised the Utako Market Shop Owners’ and Traders’ Association, to settle out of court with the FCDA, the current case on demolition of their structure.
The presiding judge, Justice Danlami Senchi, gave the advice on Thursday when the matter came up for hearing.
The association had in Dec. 2017 sued the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) for demolishing its structures.
The plaintiff also joined the FCT Minister, Mr Mohammed Bello, and the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) , M.N Attaj, the construction company handling the redevelopment of the market.
Recall that business activities was sometime ago crippled at the Utako Ultra-Modern Market in Abuja, following protest by aggrieved traders over alleged plan by the Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, to take over the market.
The traders accused FCDA of alleged pretense of remolding and redeveloping the car park in order to shortchange shop owners.
The presiding judge in his ruling said there was need for the association to return to the negotiation table with the defendants and see if the matter can be settled out of the court.
Senchi, who noticed an inappropriate representation of the plaintiff by counsels from two different law firms, advised the association to put its house in order before the next adjourned date.
“The registered trustee and the association in general should put their houses in order and harmonise on who exactly is to represent them on the matter before the next adjourned date,” he said.
The judge adjourned the matter till Feb. 28 for settlement and hearing.
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