DUST AND CHAOS filled the air in Gishiri, a community in Abuja’s Katampe District, as residents watched helplessly while bulldozers tore through their homes.
The demolition, personally supervised by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, was the latest in the government’s push to clear structures obstructing a major road construction project.
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The Explainer gathered that the affected buildings were on the right of way for a dual carriageway stretching from Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway at NICON Junction to Wole Soyinka Way. The road project, which began in October 2024, is expected to be completed in May 2025 as part of President Bola Tinubu’s second-year-in-office celebration.
Speaking during the operation, Wike defended the demolition, insisting that affected residents had been given ample time and compensation to relocate.
“I have been here more than four times. We sat down with the community leaders and explained why they need to cooperate so the contractor can finish the work by May,” he stated.
The demolition was met with outrage. Some angry residents, unwilling to see their homes destroyed, threw stones at the bulldozer operators. Security personnel responded with teargas to disperse the crowd and restore order. The tension highlighted the deep frustration among displaced families who accused the government of insensitivity.
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The Explainer learned that while the FCT Administration had provided compensation and an alternative relocation site, many residents refused the offer, arguing that it was inadequate.
“We were not given enough time. Where do they expect us to go?” one resident lamented.
However, Wike dismissed claims of unfair treatment, stating that the government had exercised patience.
“We have provided over two to three months for them to prepare. We have also offered compensation and a resettlement plan. What more could we do?” he asked.
The Gishiri demolition underscores the long-standing conflict between urban development and the plight of informal settlers in Abuja. The FCT, designed to be Nigeria’s model city, has seen repeated evictions as authorities enforce land use regulations.
“Are we going to say because of a few people, the government will not do its work? Enough is enough,” Wike declared.
