The Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED) has called on the Federal Government to immediately stop the demolition and conversion of sacred indigenous sites in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) into luxury estates and commercial hubs. The group raised the alarm during a cultural rally in Abuja marking the 2025 United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, warning that the practice is erasing centuries-old heritage and displacing ancestral custodians.

CHRICED Executive Director, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, described the gathering as more than a symbolic gesture, saying, “This rally is an act of resistance. It is a reclamation of space—physical, political, and cultural. It is a demand for justice. We call on the Nigerian government, development partners, and civil society to act with urgency and integrity. We demand land restitution and fair compensation for displaced communities, political inclusion through affirmative representation, and economic empowerment through targeted investments, education, and job creation.”

Coordinator of the coalition of FCT Indigenous Associations, Comrade Shittu Shidawa, echoed the concerns, insisting on political recognition, legal protections, and the restoration of ancestral lands. “Today, Nigerians are pushing fellow Nigerians out of their ancestral land. This is unacceptable,” he said. Shidawa shared personal experiences of marginalisation, including how the lack of proper recognition on official platforms like the JAMB portal had limited career prospects for many indigenous youths in professions such as engineering and medicine.

Shidawa also cited the 1999 Constitution, proposing a governance framework that would give indigenous communities authority over the Federal Capital Sector (FCS) while maintaining the Federal Capital City (FCC) as a separate administrative entity.

Africa Director of the MacArthur Foundation, Dr. Kole Shettima, commended CHRICED and other indigenous organisations for their commitment to advocacy, stressing that cultural recognition must go hand-in-hand with political and economic empowerment. “As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 elections, land restitution, political inclusion, and economic empowerment must be key priorities for all stakeholders,” he said.

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Justice Halilu Mu’azu, delivering the judgment on Monday in Maitama, declared that the demolition exercise carried out on September 5, 2024, was a breach of the constitutional rights of the affected citizens. He described the government’s actions as both “unauthorised and inhumane.”

The court also issued a permanent order restraining the FCTA from initiating any future demolition in the community without prior approval from a competent court or as mandated by law.

In addition to financial compensation, the judge directed the FCTA to provide relocation support to 20 individuals whose homes were directly affected, citing the emotional and economic trauma caused by the sudden evictions.

Legal representative for the community, Sylvester Ogbelu, praised the court’s decision as a reaffirmation of justice for vulnerable Nigerians. “This ruling restores confidence in the legal system. It’s a message that even the marginalised have rights that must be respected,” he said.

He also emphasized the importance of proper procedures in urban development, stating, “We support progress, but not at the expense of people’s homes and dignity. Development must follow due process.”

The community’s secretary, Simon Baba-Yerimah, who was among those displaced, expressed relief and gratitude. “Our families have lived on that land for generations. Watching our homes reduced to rubble without fair warning was devastating. Today, justice has spoken,” he said.

He called on the authorities to honour the court’s directives promptly, urging the FCTA to provide alternative accommodation within their ancestral lands, as stipulated by the court.

“This ruling is not just a win for Kpaduma,” he added, “it’s a reminder that government actions must be accountable to the people they serve.”

Residents say they are also considering further legal action to claim additional damages caused by the unlawful demolition.

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The ultimatum was delivered on Thursday by Chief Felix Obuah, Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), who led a team of enforcement officials to the site. The developer, according to Obuah, had been previously instructed to cease work and produce legal documentation but failed to comply.

“When we invited the developer to present legal documents, it became clear there was no approval, no allocation—nothing,” Obuah stated. “I ordered him to stop construction, but he refused. The only language left now is demolition.”

Obuah warned that if the developer fails to report to his office by 10 a.m. the following day, demolition will commence immediately.

The illegal structure, situated near a major drainage channel, poses a serious flood risk, he said. “This is a waterway. Allowing construction here endangers lives and property. We have to act fast to prevent disaster.”

The AMMC Coordinator emphasized the FCTA’s unwavering resolve to uphold Abuja’s Master Plan and enforce environmental and urban development regulations. He confirmed that similar operations are underway in other parts of the city, targeting encroachments on green areas, floodplains, and public infrastructure corridors.

“This is not an isolated case,” he said. “Wherever illegal structures exist, we will remove them. Our mission is to restore order and ensure Abuja remains a planned, livable city.”

Tpl. Mukhtar Galadima, Director of the Department of Development Control, reiterated the administration’s zero-tolerance policy. He revealed that another developer in the Wumba District had also been issued a 48-hour notice for failing to present valid title documents.

“We gave them a chance to comply, but instead, they continued building. This leaves us with no alternative but to enforce the law,” Galadima said.

He affirmed that citywide enforcement will be intensified: “We are reclaiming every space—green zones, waterways, and road corridors. If you build without approval, your structure will come down. There will be no impunity.”

Both officials assured residents that the FCTA would spare no effort in ensuring public safety and preserving the capital’s integrity through lawful, sustainable urban development.

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The Senate has resolved to investigate the recent demolitions in the Federal Capital Territory and has set up an investigative committee to investigate the matter.

The resolution was made after a motion was moved during Thursday’s plenary by Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing FCT Senatorial District, who called the attention of the Senate to the matter.

She also expressed concern over the alleged illegal demolition of structures in the nation’s capital and called for an immediate stop to further demolitions, including estates already marked.

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) seconded the motion, saying the exercise should be stopped pending the outcome of the Senate investigation into the matter.

In his remarks, the Senate President, Godwswill Akpabio, said the Senate cannot outrightly prevent the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, from demolishing structures in the nation’s capital.

Akpabio, however, explained that all demolitions could not be stopped because the courts ordered some.

He said, “The minister would continue with the demolition of structures ordered by the courts in order not to be culpable of disobeying court orders.”

The Senate resolved to set up an investigative committee to look into the demolitions and report back to it within a specified timeframe.

The Red Chamber also asked the committee to invite Wike to appear before it to explain the reasons behind the demolitions, which have left many residents without homes.

It also resolved that all structures marked for demolition in the FCT, not ordered by the courts, should not be tampered with until its committee interfaces with the FCT minister and reports back to the committee of the whole for further actions.

housingtv reports that Wike has been criticised for embarking on widespread demolition of houses in Abuja.

A construction company, Paullosa Nigeria Limited, had recently raised the alarm over a demolition notice issued by the Federal Capital Development Authority to demolish its estate in the Lifecamp area of Abuja.

The General Manager of the Estate, Vincent Enoghase, who spoke to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, claimed that the FCDA had demanded N10 million for a Right of Occupancy, which it had paid but was yet to receive before the issuance of the quit notice.

Source- punchng

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