The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has given the greenlight for the demolition of approximately 200 houses in the Nuwalege community near Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, as requested by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to facilitate the Presidential Fleet’s needs.
Mukhtar Galadima, the Director of the Department of Development Control, revealed this during a community engagement session on Tuesday, emphasizing the importance of consulting with residents before initiating the demolitions, Vanguard reports.
He said, “About a month ago, the authority of the Nigerian Air Force wrote to the honourable minister on their needs and desire to remove this village because it is part of the presidential fleet plots.
“So, the minister, in his wisdom, requested that they allow the FCT Administration to handle it, because it is the responsibility of the FCT Administration. The Nigerian Air Force approached the Department of Development Control on their desire, and 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 chief at his palace to meet him, and we told him our reason for coming to this place today.”
Galadima highlighted the request from the Nigerian Air Force to clear the area, explaining that around 150 to 200 houses, including associated commercial stores, would be affected by the demolition.
Regarding compensation for affected residents, Galadima stressed the need for a thorough investigation. He mentioned ongoing discussions to confirm if compensation had been previously disbursed and to whom.
“We will discuss with the Air Force, because obviously, discussions behind the scenes indicate that some form of compensation were paid, but we have to be certain that these compensations were paid, and to who?
“We are going to conduct further investigations between the FCT Administration, that is, the Department of Resettlement and Compensation, as well as the Nigerian Air Force, and find out if compensation has been paid, to whom, and when?
“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.
Additionally, plans for broader consultations involving the FCT Administration, the Department of Resettlement and Compensation, the Nigerian Air Force, and community leaders were outlined to ensure a comprehensive approach to address the situation.
“We have to do some community engagement. It is not the entire community because we have gone around and seen the areas affected by the presidential fleet plot and the areas that are outside that plot.”
Galadima emphasized the importance of engaging with the affected community, indicating that they have begun the process by informing community leaders and would undertake further consultations involving all stakeholders.
“We have discussed and informed the chief 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,” he added.
