The Minister of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has been accused of demolishing houses in the Lugbe area of Abuja without a prior notice.
In a video seen by SaharaReporters, victims of the activities were seen lamenting the injustice done to them by the minister.
“We saw the development control, they came here and the next thing they started removing houses. There was no prior notice, they didn’t tell us anything, all we heard was that the Minister was interested in the place and that they said they should remove anything that is existing there,” an affected resident of the area noted.
“We have a layout which the director of development control signed his approval on. I don’t know why they are doing that. They did it in centenary city and for 14 years, we have been going for relocation up till now we have not gotten, but if they are interested in a layout, they do it within one month.”
According to the victim in the video, the demolition came without the usual practice of giving notices before the demolision.
“They came here on Wednesday and marked few houses on Wednesday and the next day, they came with machines to remove buildings. Normally, they give us notices, first, second, third notices, none was given. Tell us the reason why you are demolishing houses, they don’t want to tell us but they came with policemen firing teargasses. Even when we called them for an interview to understand what’s happening, they refused to listen to us instead shooting teargasses, even a civil defence guy said he was going to shoot me.
“We went through proper channels to get the land, what they do is that they intimidate us by telling us that it is AMAC land. I don’t know why they are threatening us with AMAC everyday.
“If you have money and go to development control, you get approval , if you do not give them money, you will not get approval.”
“The same director that is causing all this has buildings in all these estates, if you do not give him land, he will not give you approval” the unnamed resident affected by the demolition said in the video.
Another resident affected by the development insisted that due processes were followed before lands were purchased.
“I have my lands here, some of those affected are currently in the hospital, what they are doing to us is not good. It is unfair, this is where all of of my life savings is. A lot of people will unemployed if this thing continues.”
“They keep punishing us without following the normal process, if you mark a place you must give us ample time to come and defend ourselves. Why would you mark a place and the next day you are destroying the place without giving us notice” the unnamed resident noted.
It would be recalled that the FCT Minister, Wike, ordered the military to take over Sabon Lugbe, after allegations that property owners were stopping a demolition exercise by the Federal Capital Territory.
There have been series of demolitions under the Wike led administration in the federal capital territory, with pleas in some quarters for an end to the activities.
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