FCTA demolishes settlements, hands land over to NAF

Over 200 structures in Nuwalege community along Airport Road in Abuja have been demolished to allow for the recovery of land belonging to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

The FCT Department of Development Control which carried out the demolition exercise over the weekend, said the structures had to go to make way for the expansion of the presidential fleet area.

The Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, told journalists after the exercise that the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) approached the FCT Administration (FCTA) in October, 2023, over their intention to remove some squatters from the said land.

He said the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, impressed on them that it was the responsibility of the FCTA to remove squatters.

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Galadima further said, “We informed the residents residing on the Nigeria Air Force land about the impending action and granted them a two-month window to pack their belongings.

“When the air force approached us, we told them about the FCTA’s policy on relocation and resettlement of indigenous communities. However, other non-indigenes are to be moved out of the location so that the air force can take over their land.

“There was serious sensitisation and campaign as regards to the exercise. We went there, we marked the structures to be removed and we informed them and gave them ample time until after the yuletide so they could remove their valuables.”

He said the structures belonging to indigenes were left out because statutorily “they have to be relocated and compensated; that’s why we are not touching their property. During the demolition process, approximately 150 buildings were razed, with an estimated 70 more buildings slated for removal before completion.”

The director, however, asked the air force not to commence any work without obtaining approval from Development Control, insisting they would have to submit their development proposals for vetting and approval before they would commence any development on the reclaimed land.

Some of the residents who were seen moving their property out of the area said most of them were non-indigenes who bought plots from indigenes with the assurance that the government had ceded the village to indigenes.

One of the affected persons, James Ugali, said, “The indigenes who lived here with us are less than one per cent, while the non-indigenes occupied most of the community.”