Abuja Residents To Wike: Go Ahead And Demolish, But…

Abuja residents, along the Lugbe-Airport Expressway in the Federal Capital Territory (FC) have put FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, in a tight corner.

Amidst appealing to him to stop his planned demolitions of illegal structures in the territory, Ruga Community, they are also saying he could go ahead, but prepare for the consequences.

“The only way the ruling elite can sleep is when the poor can sleep”, they have stated as part of their warning.

This came on the heels of moaning and wailing even as demolitions, pulling down and setting ablaze, shanties made from sacks, scrap roofing materials, and planks went underway

Counsel for the Abuja residents and human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, reacted today, stating that 15, 000 stand to lose their homes should the demolition exercise go on.

“There are four different locations, affecting more than 15,000 residents of the FCT in this location alone.

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“We were briefed just yesterday by all the affected residents that we should take up their matter in court on their behalf.

“So, we have come not just to sympathise, but to assess the level of damage. But before we do that next week, we are using this medium to appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider the plight of FCT residents who are barely surviving.

“Many of the residents here are people who were driven away from Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, and Zamfara because of insecurity and insurgency.

“They live here, they work in the FCT, they are builders, painters, and shoemakers, and they do so much good work for the community.

“There is no justification for this demolition. They help the security agencies to detect crime in the FCT. There is no justification for these demolitions.

“They are unconscionable, too frequent, and we are appealing to Mr. President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to do something.

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“The only way the ruling elite can sleep is when the poor can sleep”, he stated

The FCT Mandate Secretary for Security, Adamu Gwary, who was represented by the Secretary of the FCT Command and Control Unit, Peter Olumuji, cited reasons for the demolitions:

1. The settlements were built on people’s land
2. The houses obstructed a rail corridor,
3. The presence of the residents here will pose a threat to residents using the Abuja Metro Line