Nyesom Wike 


Senate on Thursday asked the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, to halt the demolition of properties pending the conclusion of investigations by its ad-hoc committee.The resolution followed a motion raised by Senator Ireti Kingibe, who expressed concern that the demolition in the FCT had taken a dangerous dimension.

Kingibe insisted that there is the need for the Senate to intervene.

Part of the motion reads: “The demolition in the FCT is no longer in line with due process and a cross-section of individuals have suffered untold hardship occasioned by massive demolitions which has led to loss of properties worth billions of naira.

“The Federal Capital Territory Administration, on the instruction of the minister, embarked on massive demolition of structures. 

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

“The demolition exercise is no longer based on reasons adduced by the FCT Administration and it is not in line with due process of court orders.

“At the moment, an estate, Merss Paulosa, in which late Colonel Paul Osang Kwanwa of Bebo, is the chairman, is currently under revocation and demolition. From reliable sources, the said plot of land was allocated to him in 1984 with the requisite title document.

“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.”

After Kingibe’s presentation, the Senator representing Kogi West, Sunday Karimi objected to the motion, urging the lawmakers not to stop the minister from carrying out his statutory functions.

Karimi suggested investigation into the demolitions carried out so far.

In his remarks, however, Senate President Godswill Akpabio told Senator Karimi to drop sentiments and be patriotic, noting that damage could not be done first, only to be investigated later.

Akpabio expressed concern that government might face court action by those who were aggrieved by the demolition.

He subsequently ruled that the ongoing demolition should be halted.

Thereafter, an ad-hoc committee headed by Senator Jibrin Barau was set up to investigate the demolitions.