For house and shop owners in Nuwalege community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), this year is ending on a sour note as the authorities say they plan to demolish more than 200 structures to make way for the Presidential Fleet in the area.
Daily Trust reports that FCT Minister Nyeson Wike, speaking through the Director, Department of Development Control, Tpl Mukhtar Galadima, during a community and citizen engagement last Tuesday in Abuja, said, it became imperative that the community gives way for development.
He said: “About a month ago, the authority of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) wrote to the honourable minister on their needs and desire to remove this village because it is part of the presidential fleet plots.
“So, the minister in his wisdom requested them to allow the FCT administration to handle it, because it’s the responsibility of the FCT administration. The NAF approached the Department of Development Control on their desire.
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“So, as part of our responsibility, we have to do what you call a community and citizens engagement which is why we are here today to discuss with the community and to tell them of our intention, because it will be unfair to just bring the machine here and start removing their houses.
“So, we visited the chief at his palace to meet him and we told him our reason for coming to this place today”.
On the number of houses that will be demolished, Galadima hinted that about 150 to 200 houses and commercial stores that are attached to the houses would be removed.
While fielding questions from newsmen on the issue of compensating the affected natives, he said: “We will discuss with the Air Force, because obviously discussion behind the scenes indicates that some form of compensation was paid, but we have to be certain that this compensation actually was paid, and also who was really given the compensation.
“We are going to conduct further investigation between FCT administration, that’s the Department of Resettlement and Compensation, as well as the Nigerian Air Force and find out if compensation has been paid, to who and when?”
“And then we will discuss with our colleagues at the Department of Resettlement and Compensation whether, at any point in time, there was any compensation that ascertained their claims as regards the number of structures and people that are going to be affected by this expansion project.”
He added, “There are certain things that we have to look into with consideration like security, because obviously, this is part of some of the settlements where you have some of these people of the underworld trying to disguise and hide.”
Our correspondent, who visited the community on Friday, reports that the affected area is known as ‘Zamani Road’, where most of the schools in the community are situated.
Although many of the buildings are residential, shops and commercial buildings will also be affected.
It was observed that residents were not only in a mourning mood but also asking how such a tragedy would be stopped by the relevant authorities
Some houses on the affected land had already been marked for demolition.
In an interview with Daily Trust, the community’s central chairman, Oguntoyinbo Charles Made, who would be affected by the demolition, claimed that there was an existing court order from a Federal High Court restraining the authorities from demolishing structures in the community.
“This community is an inherited community. It was conceded to the indigenes in 1974 by a retired Nigerian Army general, Yakubu Gowon, but the Nigerian Air Force has been encroaching to send the people packing since 2007. In 2009, 2011 and 2014, they did demolition.
“When we were building the houses, where were they? This land belongs to the indigenous people of Bassa. It was inherited. We are not saying the government should not use it but there’s a laid down procedure and policy of the federal government. This place was not acquired; it was left for the indigenous people.
“I have been in this community since 2009. I can boldly say that I know where the NAF boundary stops. Let them bring their master plan. As of now, there have not been any form of discussions or negotiations talkless of any form of compensation. The one they did last Tuesday was propaganda.
“The NAF being a law enforcement agency of the federal government, is violating a court order. There is an existing court order from the Federal High Court restraining them from doing the demolition. Different court orders were given in 2021 and 2022. The last one was issued on October 13, 2023.
“Also, that bandits are living among us, is not true as 85 per cent of people living here are either from the military or para-military, so where are the bandits coming from?”
A pregnant woman, who simply identified herself as Mummy Victoria, said she had been in the community for about 11 years, after moving from Kaduna.
She urged the FCTA not to shatter the dreams of children born in poor homes as the dehumanizing effect of forceful eviction will affect their adult lives.
“We paid our house rent not long ago. My husband went to meet the landlord about a refund of the rent but the landlord didn’t say anything about it. We have not seen any compensation. Whatever the case, we just have to move on with our lives,” she added.
Peter Ojime, a motorcyclist in the community, whose brother’s house would be affected, said they were helpless.
“My brother and I have been living here for more than 17 years and it’s his personal house. We don’t know if they will compensate us or not. We can’t do anything because we don’t have the power.
“Everyone is looking for ways to make it and then they ask us to move out; that they want to demolish. If it happens, the government would have succeeded in sending us back to the village,” he said.
A trader, Roseline Iliya, who is an indigene of the community, said she had assets worth over N15 million.
She said: “I and my family have spent more than 15 years. If they insist on demolition, we should be well compensated. For instance, I have assets worth over N15 million in this community.
“On their claim that there are bandits amongst us, it’s not true. There are no bandits here. The evil-doers are scared of this place because we are surrounded by the NAF, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)
“Nobody is terrorizing us. In neighbouring villages, every day they either see a dead body or robbery in broad daylight, but bad people are scared of coming around here because of what surrounds us. We have been living in peace, so they should allow the peace to continue. We don’t want any disturbance.”
Cynthia John, who deals in cosmetics, said she would be fine if given N2 million by the government as compensation.
“I have been here since 2021. It’s quite painful because my shop and house would be affected. I just paid for the shop and renewed my house rent. Both cost N270,000. I was able to make the payment after working as a salesgirl.
“I appeal to the government not to go ahead with the demolition or monetary compensation of at least N2 million should be given to those affected,” she said.
Also talking with our correspondent, the environment secretary of the community, Comrade Chakpa Simeon, said he moved to the community with his family from Benue State in 2008.
He said: “We are all living in Nigeria. Everyone can attest to the hardship in the country. Our call is for the authorities to have a rethink. If the government needs the land, people should be compensated.
“Relocating is the best because you and I know that they cannot give what is quantifiable to the structure they are demolishing. When I built my house, it cost about N1.3 million, but building such a structure now will cost up to N4 million, if not more. So, to me, relocation is the best.”
The community’s youth leader, Abdullahi Sariki, who said he had been staying in Nuwalege for the past 10 years, added: “The government should compensate us because many of us who are doing small businesses cannot continue due to the current economic hardship.”
Attempt to reach the Director, Department of Development Control of the FCTA, was not successful as multiple calls to his telephone line rang out unanswered.
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