Outrage in FCT over demolition of Ruga settlement, many displaced

BY UKPONO UKPONG

The recent demolition of the Ruga settlement in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), led by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, has sparked intense reactions among activists and residents, with human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju, activist Martins Vincent Otse (known as VeryDarkMan), and a 90-year-old resident, Auwalu Ali, strongly condemning the actions.

The demolition, which impacted thousands of residents, has left many homeless and vulnerable, with calls now directed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Deji Adeyanju, said the demolition has affected more than 15,000 people in the FCT.

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“You can see here children whose parents are directly affected,” he said, highlighting the visible displacement. “One of the victims was shot; he’s here, brought from the hospital with a gunshot wound in his leg.”

Adeyanju described the destruction of homes and shops as ruthless, with properties worth millions destroyed.

“They not only demolished but burned properties,” he added, emphasizing the extensive losses residents suffered.

According Adeyanju, residents displaced by the demolition were primarily people forced to relocate to Abuja due to insurgencies in their home states.

“Many of the residents here are people who were driven away from Borno, Adamawa, Yobe,” Adeyanju explained.

He said that these individuals have since integrated into the FCT community, taking up jobs as builders, painters, drivers, and shoemakers.

He questioned why the government would target those who contribute to the city’s labor force and help maintain its security.

Adeyanju, during his address, called on President Tinubu to consider the plight of FCT residents.

“We are appealing to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Mister President, you must do something about this,” he urged.

Adeyanju argued that there was no justification for the demolitions, saying, “These demolitions are unconscionable.”

He accused the FCT administration of harassing the residents and displacing them to make way for “the rich.”

The lawyer also questioned the supposed purpose of the demolition, noting that the site was far from any main roads or critical infrastructure.

“This is not the main road. You can see the main road is very far away. Why are you demolishing poor people’s homes and allocating at the same time to rich people?”

Adeyanju further pointed out that the people of Ruga serve critical roles within the city, many of them employed as artisans and essential workers.

He questioned why the government was dismantling their homes when they had already been displaced once by insurgency.

“They work in the FCT; they are builders, painters, shoemakers,” he stressed. “There is no justification for these demolitions.”

VeryDarkMan, a popular activist, shared similar sentiments, focusing on the potential consequences of the demolitions.

“What will happen after this demolition is terrorism, stealing, snatching of phones, killing people to collect things,” he warned.

His speech underscored that without homes or resources, many residents could turn to crime out of desperation.

“These people will be desperate at a time like this, where the economy is not favouring anybody,” he added, pointing to the severe economic pressure already burdening Nigerians.

VeryDarkMan also criticized the strategy of displacement without providing alternative housing solutions.

“Why can’t you try another pattern?” he asked, suggesting the government create affordable housing options for residents before demolishing their homes.

“Are they going back to Borno, where there is bombing? No, they will not go back,” he pointed out, warning of the adverse effects of leaving residents stranded in the FCT.

The humanitarian impact of the demolition was evident, with families left without shelter and children unable to continue schooling.

“Look at the children. Look at them on the ground,” VeryDarkMan noted emotionally. “No school for them again because their parents do not have anywhere to stay.”

He criticized the government’s neglect of the human cost, asking, “What are these kids going to grow up and be?”

VeryDarkMan’s speech also conveyed frustration with the ruling elite, who he argued are disconnected from the realities faced by average Nigerians.

“The elites are thinking that the poor people are not part of us. The poor people are your brothers and your sisters,” he said, urging for compassion in policymaking.

He described the demolished area as not obstructing any public utilities or roadways.

Auwalu Ali, a 90-year-old resident of the Ruga settlement, expressed deep dismay over the ongoing demolition. According to him, the government has been attempting to claim the land for years.

“Since the time of Nasiru El’rufai, the government has been trying to steal this land, but they have not been successful,” he said, adding that this current attempt was the most “brazen” of them all.

Ali explained that he and his community have been on the land for over 37 years, even before most developments around the area.

Ali, the elder resident, reiterated the historical ties of the community to the land, noting how they had been there for decades and survived previous demolition attempts.

“We have always been here, even before most of the developments around here took place,” he said, lamenting the seemingly unending attempts by authorities to displace them.