FCT natives protest land takeover by estate developers

Some natives of the Federal Capital Territory on Friday protested the illegal takeover of their ancestral land by foremost property developers, First Rotech Group of Companies 

Daily Trust Saturday gathered that the land, which is about 250 hectares has been earmarked to be used for multi-billion-naira Abuja Airport Garden City, along Idu-Gousa village of the FCT.

Speaking on behalf of the natives, the youth leader of Karmo community, Musa Abdullahi, said the developers have taken over the land without paying anything as compensation, adding that the affected farmers are from different communities including Gwagwa, Karmo, Idu, among others.

He said: “The property developers are treating us as if we are not indigenes of the FCT and Nigerians by extension as they had earlier agreed to pay a compensation fee of N5m and later settled for N4.5m. However, they now reneged on the agreement to say that they are now paying FCTA fee of N750,000.

• Darkness, chaotic traffic pervade Abuja over malfunctioning streetlights
• Abuja parents seek more social skills for young students

“This has been our ancestral land, which has been here for over 100 years; we have planted our crops for the rainy season, which they destroyed in preparation for building. They have also brought soldiers and police to intimate us,” he said.

Speaking further, he called on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, the Inspector General of Police and President Tinubu to intervene and ensure that they are compensated before construction work begins on their land, especially now that their crops have been destroyed.

Also speaking, another native whose farmland was affected, Fagashekwo Habakkuk, frowned at the deployment of military personnel and police officers to clear their ancestral land without compensation. 

He called for urgent intervention by relevant authorities as the farmland is their only source of income and living.