A group of local contractors peacefully protesting at Area 11, Garki, Abuja, outside the office of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, were on Thursday dispersed reportedly with teargas by men of the Nigerian Police Force on the orders of the Minsiter.
These contractors, under the association of indigenous contractors in FCTA, claim they are owed over N5 billion for completed and certified projects by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
According to one of the protesters, who spoke to Sahara Reporters on the condition of anonymity, the police crackdown was allegedly ordered by Wike.
“The stage for today’s incident was set when we contractors converged at the gate. No sooner had we begun the peaceful protest than armed policemen arrived at the scene and started shooting tear gas at us, while arresting and brutalizing others, even as we scampered for our dear lives in all directions,” the protester recounted.
Mr. Andy Kor, a spokesman for the contractors, said that they were simply protesting due to the failure of the authorities to pay for their completed jobs, despite multiple attempts to resolve the issue.
He confirmed that all their projects had been completed and certified for payment, yet none of the contractors had received any money.
“We are contractors in FCTA, we have been working and doing contract jobs before the coming of Wike. We are many and have an association called indigenous contractors in FCTA,” Kor explained.
Kor further revealed that when Wike assumed office, he temporarily suspended payments for their projects to assess the situation.
However, despite assurances, payments have been delayed for eight months.
“We waited for a while but as we were not told when we would be paid, we protested, and we were paid last December. After then, they started giving us jobs to do again. Behold, eight months after, no payments.”
In their frustration, the contractors wrote letters to the minister’s office and even approached his chief of staff, Mr. Atang, but to no avail.
Eventually, they decided to protest at the minister’s gate.
“We wrote to the commissioner of police and director of the DSS to intimate them to intervene… but no response too.”
Kor described how the situation escalated on the day of the protest, saying, “Yesterday, we decided to gather at the gate since we know Wike would be travelling to China for two weeks… He came and saw us but refused to address us. He just went into his office. After two hours of waiting… the police were sent to tear-gas us at the gate and disperse us.”
The contractors estimate that the total amount owed to them exceeds N5 billion, a figure they carefully compiled in anticipation of possible negotiations with the minister.
