Senate probes Abuja demolitions under Wike

The Senate on Thursday asked the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to suspend the ongoing demolition of buildings except those authorised by the court.

The upper chamber also constituted an eight-member panel, chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, to investigate the demolitions since Mr. Wike’s administration began.

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Ireti Kingibe (LP, FCT) during the plenary.

Mrs Kingibe, while presenting the motion, said the demolition of buildings since the beginning of Mr Wike’s administration is not in line with court rulings.

The senator also said the demolition has increased hardship among residents of the territory because many people have been rendered homeless.

She specifically cited the revocation of an estate around Life Camp owned by the late Paul Ogbebor, a retired colonel.

Mrs Kingibe urged the senators to compel the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to suspend the estate’s revocation.

She also requested the suspension of all ongoing demolition of buildings in the territory.

Kogi Central senator Natasha Apoti-Uduaghan seconded the motion.

Mrs Apoti-Uduaghan urged the Senate to direct Mr Wike to stop demolishing FCT structures and constitute an ad hoc committee to investigate the demolitions.

Kogi West senator Karmi Sunday said the Senate needs to hear from the FCT minister before deciding on the issue.

Deputy Senate Leader Oyelola Ashiru said his colleagues do not have the right to stop Mr Wike from bringing down buildings in the FCT, noting that the minister “is cleaning the city.”

In his remarks, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said the court had authorised the demolition of some of the buildings because they were illegal structures.

“The court has authorised some of the demolitions. If somebody built on the drainage and the court ordered that such buildings should be demolished, you cannot come up with a resolution to stop the order,” he said.

Mr Akpabio also urged his colleagues not to be emotional about the demolition of buildings in the FCT but to look at the reasons for the demolitions.

“Let us try not to be emotional with issues,” he added.

After the extensive debate on the issue, the Senate president put the motion to the vote, and the majority of the senators supported it.

In his ruling, Mr Akpabio asked the FCT minister to suspend the ongoing demolition of buildings in Abuja except those authorised by the court.

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He also constituted an ad hoc committee to liaise with the FCT administration.

Apart from Mr Jibrin, who chairs the committee, other members are Sahabi Ya’u (PDP, Zamfara North), Victor Umeh (LP, Anambra Central), Jimoh Ibrahim (APC, Ondo South), Oyelola Ashiru (APC, Kwara South), Agom Jarigbe (PDP, Cross-River North), Mohammed Munguno (APC, Borno North), and Idiat Adebule (APC, Lagos West).