The Nigerian Senate on Thursday directed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to immediately suspend all ongoing property demolitions in Abuja, following concerns over alleged irregularities and the hardship inflicted on affected residents.
The decision came after a motion raised by Senator Ireti Kingibe (Labour Party, FCT) and seconded by Senator Natasha Akpabio-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central). The Senate also summoned Wike to appear before an ad hoc committee chaired by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau to explain the controversial demolitions. The committee has been given two weeks to present its findings.
In her motion, Senator Kingibe highlighted the human and economic toll of the demolitions, accusing the FCT administration of disregarding due process. “A cross-section of individuals has suffered untold hardships occasioned by massive demolition, leading to the loss of properties worth billions of naira,” she said, citing the case of the Paulosa Estate, whose allocation dates back to 1984.
Senators were divided on the motion. While Senator Karimi Sunday (APC, Kogi West) argued that Wike’s perspective should be heard before halting the demolitions, others, such as Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (APC, Ondo Central), supported an immediate suspension, stressing the need to prevent irreversible actions while investigations are underway.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio endorsed the resolution, stating, “If we allow demolitions to continue while investigating, what are we then investigating? It’s critical to ensure fairness and accountability.”
Meanwhile, Wike defended his administration’s actions, dismissing accusations of land grabbing as baseless. Speaking at the handover of 50 operational vehicles to security agencies in Abuja, Wike insisted that the FCT Administration would not tolerate illegal land acquisitions, regardless of the individuals involved.
“There are so many land grabbers,” Wike said. “We will stop anybody who thinks they can obtain government land without formal approval. It doesn’t matter who you are or what platform you use to criticise us—what is wrong is wrong.”
The minister also warned defaulters to pay outstanding ground rents or risk having their titles revoked. He announced plans to construct 12 new police divisions across Abuja’s six area councils, which are expected to be completed by April 2025.
Highlighting security as a top priority, Wike urged law enforcement agencies to ensure a safe holiday season, stating, “We must not give criminals any space. Take the fight to them, and ensure no gap in security operations during the Yuletide.”
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, expressed gratitude for the new vehicles, pledging that they would enhance response times and community safety.
This latest development has intensified scrutiny of Wike’s policies as the FCT Minister, with the Senate and the public eagerly awaiting the findings of the ad hoc committee’s investigation.
