FCTA to demolish 200 houses for presidential fleet

In a bid to pave way for the Presidential Fleet, the Federal Capital Territory Administration is set to demolish 200 houses in Nuwalege, a community close to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.

Persecondnews reports that the demolition of the community followed a request by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

The Director, Department of Development Control, Mr. Mukhtar Galadima, who spoke on behalf of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, disclosed this during a community and citizens’ engagement in the community.

According to the Director, the Nigeria Air Force wrote to the FCT Minister about a month ago to request that some of the houses in the community that occupy parts of the Presidential Air Fleet plots be removed.

Galadima explained that between 150 and 200 houses that have been identified to share boundary with the Presidential Air Fleet would be demolished after a successful relocation of occupants of the affected buildings.

He further disclosed that the traditional ruler of the Nuwalege community has already been informed about the proposed removal of the houses.

He said: “About a month ago, the authority of the Nigerian Air Force wrote to the honourable minister about their needs and desire to remove this village, because it is part of the presidential fleet plots.

“This is why we are here today, to discuss with the community, because it will be unfair to just bring machines here and start removing peoples’ houses.

“We had already visited the Chief of the community at his palace and informed him of the development and the need for the community engagement which we are having today.

“We are coming back again for a wider consultation involving the Nigerian Air Force, our colleagues and the community heads.”

On the issue of compensation, he said: “We will discuss with the Air Force, because obviously, discussions behind the scenes indicate that some form of compensation were paid, but we have to be certain that these compensations were paid, and to who?

“We are going to conduct further investigations between the FCT Administration, that is, the Department of Resettlement and Compensation, as well as the Nigerian Air Force, and find out if compensation has been paid, to whom, and when?”