Exclusive: Gishiri demolition: Compensation payment has started, not yet relocated – says Madalla, Youth Advocate

Eight days after Minister Nyesom Wike ordered immediate compensation for Gishiri community residents, compensation payments have begun, according to Gishiri Youth Advocate John Madalla Maikasuwa.

However, Madalla expressed concerns that despite some residents receiving compensation, they have yet to be relocated to their new settlement.

Persecondnews recalls that the demolition of the Gishiri community has been a contentious issue, with residents initially refusing compensation and relocation.

The situation highlights the challenges of balancing development projects with the needs and concerns of local communities.

Madalla said: “At least 40% of us had received the money but our issue now is the land to use the money to develop.

“The ministry should provide us with land so that we will utilize the money well and also to build something meaningful before the raining season starts.”

Persecondnews had reported that a massive demolition exercise was carried out on Tuesday, March 11, at Gishiri, a suburb of the Katampe District in the FCT, where over 200 buildings, comprising residential and commercial structures, were brought down under Wike’s supervision.

Traders were left devastated as their shops, stocked with building materials, phones, accessories, and flour, were demolished.

Security personnel, including the Police, Military, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), accompanied the minister and fired tear gas canisters at the crowd, while also threatening to open fire, which further escalated the tense situation.

Speaking shortly after witnessing the demolition, the FCT Minister defended the action, stating that the structures were erected on a designated road corridor.

According to him, the demolition became necessary due to the failure of the affected residents to relocate as directed.

Wike said that funds for compensation had been allocated and a relocation site provided for the affected individuals, but they rejected the compensation offer to relocate.

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.

In response to the Minister’s statement, community representatives revealed to Persecondnews on March 13 that they are refusing relocation due to the grossly insufficient compensation offered.

They said: “We cooperated with them when they came for house numbering and capturing in 2024, afterwards they came for evaluation.

“After the evaluation they valued one bedroom flat for N100,000 – N300,000 some buildings were valued at N50,000.

“They told us they are using the compensation plan of 2013, how do you use compensation plan of 12 years ago in 2025 is the price of building materials the same? Is the price of cement in 2013 the same with 2025?.

“Considering the compensation plan If you buy a bag of cement for N3000 in 2013 and now a bag of cement in Gishiri is N9900 do you think you can even do foundation with the merger compensation been given.”

After considering their complaints, the minister, during a meeting with community members at his official Abuja residence on March 17, upgraded the compensation from N655 million to N1.3 billion.

He ordered the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Development Authority(FCDA), Mr. Richard Dauda, to ensure prompt and full compensation payments to the Community.

Wike warned him that failure to adhere to the instruction would lead to termination of his appointment.

He equally directed the Secretary to ensure non-indigenes also received compensation payments, stressing that the government’s compensation policy is ethnicity-neutral and applies equally to all citizens, regardless of their ethnic background.

In an interview with Persecondnews during our correspondent’s visit to the community on Monday, March 24, Mr. John Madalla Maikasuwa, Gishiri Youth Advocate, said some individuals initially slated to receive N350,000 are now receiving N700,000.

He explained that some beneficiaries saw their compensation increase from N50,000 to N100,000, while others received a hike from N150,000 to N300,000, representing a 100% increment.

Madalla expressed his gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and the FCT Minister, Wike, for their efforts so far, while also humbly requesting that they expedite the compensation process and provide land for relocation.

He said: “I want to thank the President and the minister. I want to appeal to them not to forget us, not to get tired of us.

“We know that they have the power to increase the compensation further if they wish. So we are still appealing to them to do more for us.

“Since the demolition, some of our representatives in the assembly have yet to come here, but we saw what they are doing towards the alleviation of our suffering behind the scene, and we are grateful.

“We thank Nigerians who have given their voice, journalists who have come here to cover it, as well as non-governmental agencies that have provided one form of help or another.”

Also speaking to Persecondnews, Mr. Godwin Adamu, Youth Chairman of Nbwaha Gishiri Community, appealed to the minister to consider those residents whose houses were not captured during the 2024 house numbering exercise, yet were demolished on March 11.

He said: “After the demolition, some officials from the ministry said they came to assess the demolished houses that were not captured in the numbering.

“How do you conduct a building assessment for buildings you have already demolished?.

“If those buildings are not captured, the owners will not be able to receive compensation money along with the others.”

Adamu expressed disappointment that, despite the passage of time, the Ministry of Health has yet to dispatch officials to provide the community with necessary medical check-ups.

He said: “In a situation like this, the Ministry of Health is supposed to be on the ground providing medical help to the victims.

“They should be checking their blood pressure, treating malaria, and handing out mosquito nets, because some of us are sleeping outside, but it seems like we are not worthy of the service.”

The chairman expressed his gratitude to the President and the minister, and humbly requested that they ensure the compensation process is completed, guaranteeing that all affected individuals receive their rightful entitlements.