Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Chairman, Christopher Maikalangu, has decried the recent demolition of property in the Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) Karsana Community by a developer, Oceanic Properties and Equilibrium Concept.
Maikalangu made this known on Saturday in Abuja after inspecting the extent of the demolition and its effect on the livelihoods of the residents.
He described the developer’s action as a grave injustice against the community, and vowed to seek redress for them in court.
According to the area council boss, the people of the community are legitimate indigenous Gbagyi people of the FCT, who are entitled to full compensation for the damage caused them.
“Legal action will be pursued by the community and AMAC authorities. Official reports are being submitted to senior government officials,” he said.
Maikalangu appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of the FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike for immediate intervention to address the situation.
He also appealed to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to intervene toward their immediate resettlement, adding that many families had been rendered homeless.
“As you can see, these people are homeless. Where are they going to sleep today?” No warning, no compensation.
“If you want to relocate people who live here, first thing, compensate them. If you don’t want them here, give them another alternative.
“With the Gbagyi people, the name Karsana is important,” he said.
The council boss noted that the demolition was carried out without any prior warning, court notice, or compensation.
He vowed that no construction work would take place on the disputed site until the displaced residents were compensated and resettled.
“The developer acted outside due process and ignored community rights. If you want to relocate people first thing, compensate them. If you don’t want them here, give them another alternative.
“Get them somewhere, build houses for them, and relocate them. But you destroyed the houses, they have nowhere to sleep and you are comfortable. It’s unfair. We are all Nigerians.
“We can’t continue like this in this country. The federal government has to intervene in this case,” he said.
Mr Dikko Jezhi, the community’s Youth Secretary, recounted the trauma which the people have been subjected to due to the demolition, noting that the people have nowhere to go at the moment.
“Residents were at work when their homes were demolished with police escort. Families had no advanced notice and lost all possessions.
“Generations of indigenous families, including the elderly, are now left stranded.
“I asked my mother yesterday if she had another state aside from this, and she replied no. Even her grandfather, this was where the grandfather was born,” Jezhi said.
He added: “So we don’t know where to go. They have demolished our houses. Our properties are down.
“They have been pushing the indigenous people to the wall. We won’t react because this is our father’s land.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that critical structures, including the chief’s palace and a church, were among the buildings destroyed, leaving the community in despair. (NAN)
