Tension in Abuja village over planned demolition

The planned demolition of Zhayi community in the Federal Capital Territory is causing ripples, FRIDAY OLOKOR writes

When the administration of the late President Umaru YarAdua directed the Federal Capital Territory Administration to stop demolishing houses, many residents of Abuja and its satellite communities had a respite.

Before then, many people had been rendered homeless while others who could not withstand the psychological trauma died.

It was the least expectation that YarAduas order was going to be reversed after his death.

Today in the FCT and its environs, the fear of the Development Control Department and Federal Capital Development Authority is the beginning of wisdom. Although the agency has been credited with ensuring sanity in the planning and development of the FCT, it is still believed that the might with which it destroys buildings is leaving a bitter pill in the mouths of many residents, including the rich and poor.

While the FCDA has beamed its searchlight on some villages, the wave of demolition blowing across the FCT is a reminder of the past. Indeed, the next casualty in the demolition exercise is Zhayi (Jahi 1) village. Already, the planned demolition has started causing ripples in the community.

Two weeks ago, the FCDA reportedly brought in bulldozers to pull down houses. Accompanied by police and soldiers, the officials were said to have prepared for action but for the youth who resisted the action.

But even as the officials left the community that day without carrying out any demolition, a woman, Mrs. Salamatu Umar, was said to have died, following the sight of bulldozers. Her house was said to be among those marked for demolition.

Again, fearing that the agency will return to the community, last week, no fewer than 1,000 residents took to the streets to protest against what they allege as the frequent threats by government officials and private land grabbers using the military and police officers.

The protesters, including old women carrying loads on their backs and shoulders, displayed various placards with inscriptions such as Our farmlands taken, our livelihood discriminated, Our homes destroyed, our children violated, and our lives threatened. Other placards read, Who paid, who received the rumoured huge compensations for our ancestral lands? Officials or conspirators?

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Tension in Abuja village over planned demolition