Democratic Socialist Movement

For Struggle, Solidarity and Socialism in Nigeria

By - DSM

WIKE’S DEMOLITION AND DISPLACEMENT IN ABUJA

  • Mass Struggle and Working People Solidarity are needed!

The indigenous people of Abuja have been hugely victimized by the ongoing demolitions of homes and communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the orders of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. This demolition policy is a continuity of the policies of past FCT Ministers starting from Mallam Nasir El-Rufai who took office in 2003, under President Obasanjo. This aggressive and destructive campaign is a blatant attack on the poor and vulnerable residents of Abuja, especially its Indigenous people, whose lives and lands are sacrificed for the benefit of wealthy real estate interests that invade Abuja with every new capitalist politician that takes federal power. The demolitions have become a long-standing injustice faced by FCT residents who lack any form of democratic governance – a situation that allows appointed officials to act unilaterally without accountability to the people they are supposed to serve.

By Omole Ibukun

Recent events since former Governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike took power have seen an increase in the severity of this issue. On September 4, nearly 100 homes in Kpaduma II, Guzape District, were demolished without warning, and this left residents homeless and deeply traumatized. In this case, the government disregarded both a pending court injunction by its own court and the basic rights of the people by failing to provide notice or compensation. This is the culture of most demolitions in Abuja. The officials arrived with armed personnel, effectively terrorizing the community and destroying nearly 200 houses in total, leaving countless Indigenous families in anguish. This displacement pattern is also mirrored in Lugbe, where residents recently saw over 50 homes destroyed, despite having legitimate title documents from the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) and necessary permits from the Development Control Department. In this case, there is also evidence that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) colluded with private developers to evict residents under the guise of “development,” which has become a thinly veiled pretext for land grabs that benefit elite interests over public welfare. It has recently come to light that land reclaimed from displaced residents was reallocated to another company shortly after the demolitions, despite the ongoing court case challenging the legality of the government’s actions.

But the news is not all sad! In February 2024 when the Nigerian Navy came to Iddo student community to claim the land that most of the indigenes’ farms and rent to students of UNIABUJA, members of the Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights (CDWR) who resided in the community intervened in community meeting and a resistance strategy as planned with the community youths including a protest that was successful. Despite the fact that the navy had installed a signpost warning the community that they would come to demolish (despite the fact that no one in the government is planning to compensate the community people for their loss in houses and farmlands), the mass struggle and resistance during the protest has kept the Nigerian navy at bay from coming to demolish till now, even when they continue to fence the community. This struggle in Iddo shows that victory can be won with mass struggle, when we put it side by side with the situation in Iddo in 2021 where the same forces got away with a similar demolition.

The CDWR calls upon all Abuja residents, human rights organizations, labour movement and concerned Nigerians to stand in solidarity with the struggle against these anti-poor policies. In the immediate, we demand an immediate halt to the demolitions, respect for court injunctions, and compensation for affected families. Abuja’s Indigenous people and residents deserve the right to live peacefully and participate in the decisions that shape their city. We will continue to stand with the people of Abuja in demanding democratic representation and resisting the capitalist encroachment on their rights and livelihoods.