The Senate has instructed Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to immediately stop the demolition of houses in Abuja.
The Senate on Thursday directed the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, to immediately halt all ongoing property demolitions in Abuja.
This resolution followed concerns over alleged irregularities and hardships caused by the demolitions.
In addition, the Senate summoned the minister to appear before an ad hoc committee formed to investigate the demolition activities.
The committee, chaired by Deputy Senate President Senator Jibrin Barau, has been given two weeks to submit its findings.
The decision was prompted by a motion raised by Senator Ireti Kingibe (LP – FCT) during plenary, which was seconded by Senator Natasha Akpabio-Uduaghan (PDP – Kogi Central).
While reading the resolution, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, emphasised the importance of halting demolitions until proper investigations are conducted.
He said, “The Senate urges the Federal Capital Development Authority to stop further demolitions of structures, except those ordered by courts of competent jurisdiction, until the ad hoc committee concludes its investigation and interfaces with the FCT administration within the next two weeks.”
In her lead debate, Senator Kingibe raised concerns about the demolition exercise, noting it often deviated from due process.
She argued that affected individuals had suffered immense losses due to demolitions that appeared unjustified.
She said,“In recent times, the demolition exercise in the FCT was no longer based on reasons that necessitated the demolition. A cross-section of individuals have suffered untold hardships occasioned by massive demolition, which has led to a loss of properties worth billions of naira.”
Kingibe specifically highlighted the ongoing revocation and demolition of Messrs Paulosa Estate, chaired by the late Colonel Paul Osakpawan Ogbebor.
According to her, the land had been properly allocated to him in 1984, with all requisite documentation.
She urged the Senate to resolve that demolitions should only proceed in line with due process and called for an investigation into the matter.
During the debate, Senator Karimi Sunday (APC – Kogi West) argued against halting demolitions without first hearing from the FCT minister.
He said, “We need to investigate this matter before giving any directive. We must hear from the minister. You cannot shave a man’s head at his back.”
However, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (APC – Ondo Central), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters, disagreed.
He supported the motion to stop the demolitions, emphasising fairness and the need to avoid irreversible actions during the investigation.
“Are we saying that we should allow the place to be demolished while we are trying to look into it? What is fair is to say stop the situation today and let us investigate,” Adegbonmire argued.
Backing Adegbonmire’s stance, Akpabio stated, “If we just say, continue the demolition, and then we start investigating, what are we then investigating? It’s important for us to ensure that demolitions are in the best interest of Nigerians and follow proper procedures.”
The Senate resolved to urge the FCT minister to halt further demolitions and tasked the ad hoc committee to ensure a thorough investigation.
The committee comprises notable senators, including Deputy Senate Leader Senator Oyelola Ashir, Chief Whip Senator Tahir Monguno, and others, who are expected to present their findings within two weeks.
Meanwhile, Wike, on Thursday, stated that his administration would not be blackmailed by allegations of land grabbing in the discharge of its duties.
The minister, speaking at the handover of 50 operational vehicles to security agencies in the FCT on Thursday, insisted that the FCT Administration would not overlook land contraventions by anyone, irrespective of who they were.
The PUNCH reported that a controversial social media influencer and critic, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, had accused the FCT Minister of revoking land titles belonging to Paullosa Nigeria Ltd and reallocating it to Saravera Nigeria Limited and the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda.
Wike said in spite of social media critics accusing him of giving out land to his kinsman, he would not be deterred in doing what was best for the FCT.
“Let me use this opportunity to tell Nigerians and residents of Abuja, that we are not afraid of blackmail, particularly as regards this Abuja, there are so many land grabbers.
“We will stop anybody who thinks that they can obtain government land for whatever reason, without formal approval. We will not look at your face.
“If you like, you can be a civil rights activist. If you like, you can be a television talker; what is wrong is wrong.
“People take government property without approval, without documents. And I have told people that there was a government yesterday that did not take any steps does not mean that another government will come today and will not take steps.
“You are a squatter. You tell people to beg me, then you go on television to tell people that they came to take your land, and you said the land was allocated to a Rivers man. So what?
“A Rivers man is not entitled to have a land in Abuja? You tell me who is that person that is entitled to have a land in Abuja,” he said.
The minister also warned those who owed ground rents in the FCT to pay up or risk their titles being revoked.
“All those who have not paid, who thought we were joking, I will revoke all. I am going to do it. You think nothing will happen, something will happen.
“Go and check your records. If you have not paid, I will give you time to pay. But once the time expires, I will revoke it, and allocate it to those who will pay,” he said.
