The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike is alleged to have instructed the Director of the Department of Development Control to ensure that the Nuwalege community, located along the Airport Road is freed up for the presidential fleet parking lot.
The directive said to have been issued in response to a request from the Nigerian Air Force, will have as many as houses demolished in the marked area.
During a community and citizen engagement in Abuja on Tuesday, the minister, represented by Director Tpl Mukhtar Galadima, emphasized the importance of the community accommodating this development.
The Nigerian Air Force had previously approached the minister about their intention to relocate the village, as it falls within the area designated for the presidential fleet plots.
“So, the minister, in his wisdom, requested them to allow the FCT administration to handle it because it’s the responsibility of the FCT administration. The Nigerian Air Force approached the Department of Development Control on their desire.
“So, as part of our responsibility, we have to do what you call a community and citizens engagement which is why we are here today to discuss with the community and to tell them of our intention, because it will be unfair to just bring the machine here and start removing their houses.
“So, we visited the chiefs at his palace to meet him, and we told him our reason for coming to this place today,” Daily Trust quoted Galadima saying.
Galadima mentioned that approximately 150 to 200 houses, along with the attached commercial stores, will be demolished. When asked about compensating the affected locals, he stated that discussions with the Air Force are necessary.
He said that some form of compensation has been indicated, but it is crucial to verify the recipients and ensure that the compensation was indeed received.
“We are going to conduct further investigation between FCT administration, that’s the Department of Resettlement and Compensation, as well as the Nigerian Air Force and find out if compensation has been paid, to who and When?
And then we will discuss with our colleague at the Department of Resettlement and Compensation whether, at any point in time, there was any compensation that ascertained their claims as regards to the number of structures and people that are going to be affected by this expansion project,” Galadima explained.
The statement added: “There are certain things that we have to look into with consideration like the security because obviously, this part of some of this settlement is where you have some of these people of the underworld trying to disguise and hide.
“And looking at this, Air Force formation, which is the presidential fleet, is too close for this thing to co-habit. So, we will see if there is an urgent desire to remove part of this community, and we will do it.
“So, we have to do some community engagement. It is not the entire community because we have gone around, and we have seen the areas affected by the presidential fleet plot and the areas that are outside that plot.
“Speaking of the expectations of the village chief, Galadima said, ‘’At least we have given him the respect as a high-class person. We have discussed and informed him why we are here and we are coming back again for a wider consultation, involving the Nigerian Air Force, our colleagues, and then the community heads. So I think we have done the needful by engaging them adequately.’’