Residents of the Ruga community in Abuja, where over 10,000 persons have been allegedly displaced in the ongoing demolition of ‘illegal’ structures by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, have lamented their poor living conditions in the wake of the crisis.
In a 10-minute trending video posted on X by social media activist, VeryDarkMan @Coolverydarkma late Friday, the displaced residents of the community, including crying children were seen calling on the FCT minister, to rescind his decision which has rendered them homeless.
According to some of the residents who spoke in the video, they have inhabited the land for over 37 years and have built their livelihood there before the demolition exercise.
“We have been here for 37 years. Since the time of Nasir El-Rufai, government has been trying to steal this land but they have not been successful. This is the most brazen assault we have faced.
We have been here even before most of the development here took place. They pushed us from the stadium side to this place. If they remove us from here, where will we go?”, one of the elderly men affected in the exercise told newsmen in Hausa.
Lending his voice to their plight, VeryDarkMan called on Wike and President Tinubu to halt the demolition in the interest of the poor community.
“Where do you expect these people to go to? This place that has been demolished is not anywhere beside the road. Look at the faces of these people. I hate to stereotype but it is what it is at the end of the day.
What will happen after this is terrorism, stealing, snatching of phones, and killing of people to collect their property because these people will be desperate. At a time like this when the economy is not favouring anybody and people are suffering, and you are demolishing?
“Why can’t you try another pattern by actually creating housing for these people, even if it is a cheaper house before demolishing (displaced persons clap)?
“You are demolishing and putting them on the streets to do what? Are they going back to Borno where they are kidnapping and bombing? Are they going back to Kano where there is insurgency? No! They won’t go back. They will be here to cause another problem for the rest of us.
“It is crazy that the elites are thinking that the poor people are not part of us. The poor people are your brothers and your sisters (they clap again).
“While your children are at home, these people are other people’s daughters and sons. Look at the children. Look at them on the ground. What are these kids going to be? No school for them again because their parents don’t have houses to stay. If rain falls now; it falls on them.
“So, Nyesom Wike, honourable Minister. I don’t know what you are using this land for. According to the law, the only time you demolish is if their stay here is overriding public interest, not to be allocated to another person. I understand that you want to develop Abuja. Fine. I see the ones you have done. You cannot just displace people. You have to create housing for them. We cannot live without the poor people because they are the ones to do the odd jobs you can’t do. Abi shey Wike want paint? Wike go sweep road? (crowd choruses, no!)
“So, please, honourable minister. I also want to appeal to the president, Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, please. Don’t let this demolition continue,” he said.
Earlier on his X handle, VeryDarkMan wrote; “Dear Nyesom wike the minister of FCT this is pure wkdness and Inhumane to force over 10 thousand people out of their settlement with gunshots fired at them leaving women and children homeless without shelter and without hope in an economy where even the elites are complaining of hardship, leaving fathers and brothers with gun wounds this is not fair and if you don’t stop this would go on to breed t3rror!st and insurgency in Abuja.
“We are leaving in a desperate time people can barely even feed and now you have put them in a condition where they will have to sleep in the cold, no bed, no roof over their heads, please stop their demolition now or better create housing for them relocate them and compensate them, your elite friends can then enjoy the lands but leaving them like this will definitely put us in a tight state of insecurity. ..”
Protest Rocks Abuja Over Demolition
Protesters, led by lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju on Friday, had accused Wike’s task force, known as “Operation Sweep,” of heavy-handed tactics that have left scores of residents homeless.
Adeyanju condemned the demolition, highlighting that homes were burned and property worth millions was destroyed.
“There is no justification for this demolition. We appeal to President Bola Tinubu to consider the plight of the displaced residents, who are barely surviving,” Adeyanju said.
Many of those affected, he explained, had already been forced out of their homes in northern states such as Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe due to insecurity, leaving them in a precarious situation.
“These demolitions are excessive,” he continued, “and Mr. President needs to act to prevent further harassment of the people. We are sounding a warning to those in government that peace is only achievable if the poor are allowed to live peacefully. When the poor cannot sleep, it affects everyone.”
A similar demolition had taken place at Lugbe and other communities in Abuja.