The demolition exercise in Gishiri Community, a suburb of Katampe District in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has entered its third day, leaving widespread destruction in its wake.
The operation has so far resulted in the demolition of over 200 homes, rendering many residents homeless.
A Persecondnews correspondent, who visited the community on Thursday was met with a scene reminiscent of a war-torn zone as women and children wandered aimlessly, visibly distressed, while some lay helpless under the scorching sun, battling malaria contracted from two days of exposure to mosquitoes.
Meanwhile, men gathered in small groups, engaged in hushed conversations in the Gbagyi language, as they struggled to come to terms with the devastation surrounding them.
Meanwhile, the presence of security personnel, particularly police and NSCDC officers, was still noticeable as some tractors still remained on site.
Persecondnews reported that the Minister of the FCT, Mr. Nyesom Wike, who supervised the take off of the demolition on March 11, had justified the action, stating that the structures were built on a designated road corridor.
The demolition is part of the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s efforts to reclaim encroached plots and enforce the Abuja master plan.
The area, which has grown into a massive slum, has been a hideout for criminal elements, prompting the need for demolition.
Security personnel, comprising the Police, Military, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who accompanied the minister fired tear gas canisters at the crowd, threatening to open fire further escalating tension.
In an interview with Persecondnews on Thursday, March 13, Gishiri Youth Advocate, Mr. John Madalla Maikasuwa, revealed that over 200 houses and shops have been demolished, with some not even listed among the 456 structures identified during the initial house mapping exercise.
Estimating the extent of their losses, Maikasuwa revealed that the demolition resulted in the destruction of over N1 billion worth of houses and properties.
Maikasuwa, who previously spoke out on the issue on Tuesday, insisted that the community had yet to receive any compensation.
When confronted with the minister’s claim that compensation had been provided, he countered that those individuals who collected the funds on behalf of the community should be held accountable for their actions.
He said: “Before the demolition, we had reached out to various agencies, including the Inspector General of Police, Amnesty International, human rights organizations, FCTA, Ministry of FCT, radio stations, and the Director General of the Department of State Security Service (DSS), regarding our compensation.”
The Youth Advocate made a heartfelt appeal to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to intervene and instruct the Minister of the FCT to provide fair compensations and a permanent relocation site.
He emphasized the need for a stable and secure environment that would not be disrupted again after a decade.
Maikasuwa said: “We are indigenous to the capital city and should not be treated with such disdain.”
He lamented the dire living conditions of the displaced residents, revealing that they have been forced to sleep in the open, exposed to the weather elements and vulnerable to mosquitoes, snakes, and other reptiles.
Madalla also made a passionate appeal to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Nigerians at large to come to their assistance, urgently requesting provisions of tents, food, and medical supplies.
He also solicited financial and material support from the public, emphasizing that every contribution, whether in cash or kind, would be deeply appreciated.
Mrs. Fedaculu Yakubu, a local trader, who spoke with Persecondnews, lamented that she suffered a devastating loss of over N3 million worth of goods.
Yakubu, who operated two shops selling bags of chicken feed and bundles of wrappers, said she was unable to salvage even a single item from her destroyed businesses.
The woman, whose house was also destroyed, made a heartfelt appeal to Nigerians for assistance, explaining that as the eldest of their parents’ seven children, she now bears the responsibility of caring for her siblings, who have been left without a home or means of livelihood.
In an interview with Persecondnews, Mr. Zasah Knude, the head of elders of the Mbwaha Gishiri community, expressed deep distress and outrage over the desecration of the graves of their three late traditional rulers, the reverred Etsus of Gishiri.
The visibly enraged octogenarian, flanked by fellow elders, vehemently denounced what he called the ministry’s heavy-handed approach in dealing with their community.
Persecondnews reported that the minister, who spoke shortly after the commencement of demolition on Tuesday, March 11, said the demolition became necessary due to the failure of the affected residents to relocate as directed.
Wike said the FCT Administration had awarded a contract for the construction of a dual carriageway from Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway, by NICON Junction to Wole Soyinka Way, which was expected to be completed in May.
He said funds for compensation had been allocated and a relocation site has been provided for the affected individuals.
The minister, however, said that the affected residents declined the offer of compensations to relocate.
“This means the job will not go on. We will not allow that. I have been here more than four times.
“We have sat down with the community leaders and told them the need to cooperate with the government so that the contractor will be able to complete the project and hand it over by May.
“The traditional leaders pleaded with us to give them one week. The money for compensation has been made available and we made available somewhere where they can relocate.
“However, with all these assurances, it does appear that work is not going on, and I informed the traditional rulers that this work has to go on,” Persecondnews quotes Wike as saying.
The minister, who emphatically declared “enough is enough”, said no government would stand idly by and permit individuals to sabotage a project designed for the public good.
He expressed disappointment with the residents’ refusal to cooperate with the government, especially since the land was being acquired for public use, and not for personal gain or private development.
Wike said: “So, I called the community leaders while away in Milan, Italy. I am going to be personally here to supervise this demolition, and that’s what I came for.
“Let them know that it is not going to be business as usual.”
Wike said the government had done everything humanly possible by giving the affected people more than three months to take necessary actions.
The minister added: “I can not fold my arms and say let the work stop. No, we will not do that. We have given them enough time.
“Are we going to say because of few people, the government will not do its work?”
On the way forward, the minister stated that the Director of Compensation and Resettlement will engage with the community to determine the most feasible solutions for the affected residents.
“If they don’t want it, it is their business.”
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