A public interest lawyer and activist, Barrister Deji Adeyanju, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike SAN, of failing to follow due process in demolishing properties of Abuja residents and revoking their land titles.
Adeyanju made the allegation on Friday during a press conference attended by Nairametrics, asserting that Wike should first approach the Tribunal for approval, await its decision, and consider the subsequent verdict on the affected residents’ right to appeal, before authorizing the demolition of properties.
Adeyanju’s position is part of growing criticism from several lawyers and residents against the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) demolition of “illegal structures” in the Sabon-Lugbe South District Layout of the FCT and other areas, following Wike’s approval on October 22, 2024.
Activist insists law must be followed
For Adeyanju, the FCTA under Wike’s leadership is allegedly engaging in land grabs in the FCT, including converting public parks into residential buildings.
- He argued that, given the potential for public outcry, it is expected that people will complain.
- He emphasized that legal options must be explored and exhausted before the minister can take such actions against residents.
“Because there’s due process of law, you (Wike) are supposed to have gone to the tribunal, followed the procedure. If the people lose, they have the right to appeal to the High Court. None of those legal processes were followed,” he said.
- He also alleged that the administration simply used bulldozers to demolish several houses, claiming they were shanties.
- Adeyanju advised the FCT minister to show tolerance toward the poor residents living in areas marked for demolition.
“Because if we don’t tolerate the poor, the poor will have no option but to eat the rich. And the rich will not be able to sleep if the poor cannot sleep,” he added, expressing his hope that justice will prevail for the victims.
Backstory
The FCT Minister issued the demolition order in October, after an unscheduled visit to the Sabon Lugbe site, where he identified what he termed alleged “illegal structures.”
- He was accompanied by heads of various security agencies in the FCT.
- Barrister Wike reiterated that buildings without proper documentation from the FCT Administration would be demolished, describing the developers in the area as land grabbers.
- The FCT Minister maintained that the structures were built without the approval of the Development Control Department, in violation of the land use provisions of the FCT.
According to an FCTA statement, “The Minister directed the Director of the Department of Development Control, Town Planner Mukhtar Galadima, to liaise with various security agencies for the demolition of the illegal structures and the recovery of the land, adding that security personnel would arrest anyone who obstructs the demolition exercise.”
Nairametrics previously reported that the Home Builders Association of Nigeria had accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of directing the demolition of properties (Weather-Field Estate) worth over N200 billion in Sabon-Lugbe, Abuja, allegedly without a court order.
