Senate Bars Wike From Demolishing Structures In Abuja

By EDITOR

The Senate yesterday has asked the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to halt further demolition of structures pending the outcome of its investigation into the matter.

The Senate also set up an ad hoc committee headed by the Deputy Senate President, Barau I. Jibrin, to ascertain the propriety or otherwise of the demolition exercise, and asked the minister to appear before the committee.

The resolutions were sequel to a motion by the FCT senator, Ireti Kingibe, during plenary, in which she said the demolition exercise did not follow due process and was causing untold hardship to victims, and pleaded for the Senate’s intervention.

Wike has been criticised for embarking on widespread demolition of houses in Abuja.

A construction company, Paullosa Nigeria Limited, had recently raised the alarm over a demolition notice issued by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to demolish its estate in the Lifecamp area of Abuja.

Senator Ireti said, “Further concern that demolition in FCT is no longer in line with due process and that a cross-section of individuals has suffered untold hardship occasioned by massive demolitions which have led to loss of properties worth billions of naira.

 “Note that the Federal Capital Territory Administration, on the instruction of the Honorable Minister of Federal Capital Territory, embarked on massive demolition of structures within the Federal Capital Territory.

“Also note that the demolition, according to the FCT authority, was informed by illegal structures and non-development of allocated plots of land by the FCT administration.

“Also concerned that at the moment, an estate by the name Messrs Paulosa, for which late Colonel Paul Osang Kwanwa of Bebo, is the chairman, is currently under revocation and demolition. And from reliable information, the said plot of land was allocated to him in 1984 with the requisite title documents.

“And further concerned that the owner of this estate was a patriotic Nigerian who served the nation meritoriously and one of the first intakes of the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna, with registration number 001.”

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) seconded the motion, saying the exercise should be stopped pending the outcome of the Senate investigation into the matter.

But Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) objected to the motion and urged other senators not to stop the minister from carrying out his statutory functions.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, however, said all demolitions can’t be stopped, explaining that some were ordered by the courts.

The Senate, therefore, resolved that all structures marked for demolition in the FCT, not ordered by the courts shouldn’t be tampered with pending the outcome of investigations by its ad hoc committee which has two weeks to submit its report of findings to the committee of the whole.

However, there was drama in the Senate Senator Kingibe earlier stormed out of plenary in anger following an “attempt” to stop her from presenting a motion. 

After several minutes, Akpabio asked some senators to look for the female lawmaker to return to the chamber and present her motion. When she finally arrived, Akpabio cautioned her that she was elected to represent the FCT, and that it will not be in the interest of the people if she decides to leave the chamber during plenary.

Akpabio also asked her to apologise to the Senators, for walking out on them. She later apologised to her colleagues and moved her motion. The senator nearly cried in the process especially at the commencement of her presentation.

Meanwhile, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has vowed to sanction property owners who have refused to pay their ground rents despite several notices served on them.

He said their titles would be revoked and handed over to those who are ready to pay.

He also warned construction companies in the territory against land grabbing, saying the fact that they are given lands to house their equipment does not automatically confer on them ownership.

Wike gave the warning on Thursday in Abuja when he gave out 50 Hilux vehicles to security agencies in the territory.

The minister also warned against blackmail by residents who might have flouted the laws, saying he won’t succumb to them.

Reacting to the controversy that has trailed his decision to revoke a plot of land in which Niger Delta activist, Chief Rita Lori Ogbebor has an interest, the minister said those who are laying claims to lands that have been revoked should produce documents to back their claims.