The Senate on Thursday sought an investigation into the recent demolitions in the Federal Capital Territory and has set up an investigative committee to look into the matter.
The committee will also invite the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to appear before it to explain the reasons behind the demolitions, which have left many residents without homes.
The motion, which was moved by Senator Ireti Kingibe of the FCT Senatorial District, expressed concern over the illegal demolition of structures in the nation’s capital and called for an immediate stop to further demolitions.
The Senate resolved to set up an investigative committee to look into the demolitions and report back to it within a specified timeframe.
The upper chamber also summoned the Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria PLC over the company’s refusal to honour invitations to provide details on the Odukpani-Itu Highway project.
The Odukpani-Itu Highway is located in Cross River State and Akwa Ibom States. It connects the town of Odukpani in Cross River State to Itu in Akwa Ibom State, serving as a critical link for transportation and economic activities in the south-south region.
According to a motion sponsored by Senator Osita Ngwu, Julius Berger has neglected and refused to honour invitations to provide details of their role in the project, despite receiving substantial public funds amounting to over N18 billion.
The Senate has condemned the refusal of Julius Berger and other entities to honour lawful invitations, which constitutes contempt of the National Assembly and undermines constitutional authority.
Furthermore, the Senate has invoked its constitutional powers to issue a warrant of arrest to compel the attendance of the Managing Director of Julius Berger at the rescheduled investigative hearing.
‘Let heaven fall’ – Wike vows to continue FCT demolitions
Meanwhile, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has vowed to continue demolishing properties illegally built on government lands.
The minister has been criticised for embarking on a widespread demolition of houses in Abuja without due diligence and proper investigation.
A construction company, Paullosa Nigeria Limited, recently raised the alarm over a demolition notice issued by the Federal Capital Development Authority to demolish its estate in the Lifecamp area of Abuja.
The General Manager of the Estate, Vincent Enoghase, who spoke to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, claimed that the FCDA had demanded N10 million for a Right of Occupancy, which it had paid but was yet to receive before the issuance of the quit notice.
A controversial social media influencer and critic, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, had accused Wike of revoking land titles belonging to the company and reallocating it to Saravera Nigeria Limited and House of Reps Majority Leader and member representing Obio/Akpor Constituency, Kingsley Chinda.
Speaking during the distribution of operational vehicles to security agencies at the FCTA Secretariat in Abuja on Thursday, Wike stated that he won’t be swayed by blackmail.
Wike said the structures being demolished were illegally built on government lands and gotten by land grabbers, adding that some of the structures pose security risks.
The minister insisted there was no going back and vowed to go after more illegally constructed buildings and shanties.
He said, “Let me use this opportunity to tell Nigerians and residents of Abuja we are not afraid of blackmailing. In fact, you cannot be in this kind of position, and you cannot be blackmailed, particularly regarding this Abuja. There are so many land grabbers. Some of us have come to put our feet down. Let heaven fall. It is even better that heaven comes down now so that we would not be fasting again to go to heaven.
“We would stop anybody who thinks they will take government land for whatever reason with formal approval. We would not look at your face. If you like, be a civil rights activist or a television personality. What is wrong is wrong; no amount of blackmail can stop us. People take government property without approval or documentation.
“People take government property without approval, without documents. And I have told people that there was a government yesterday, and the government did not take any steps, but that does not mean that another government will come today and will not take steps”.
“You are a squatter. If you like, go and carry everybody. What is wrong is wrong. You go back, you tell people to beg me, then you go on television to tell people that they came to take your land, and you said the land was allocated to a Rivers man. So what? Is a Rivers man not entitled to land in Abuja? You tell me who that person is who is entitled to have land in Abuja.”
The minister also warned persons who still owed ground rents in the FCT to pay up or risk their titles being revoked.
He said, “All those who have not paid, who thought we were joking, I am going to revoke all. I am going to do it. You think nothing will happen; something will happen. Go and check your records. If you have not paid, I will give you time to pay. But once the time expires, forget it. I will revoke it and allocate it to those who will pay.”