Residents of Gishiri village in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) have denounced the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) under Minister Nyesom Wike for forcibly evicting them after they rejected compensation offers ranging from N70,000 to N150,000. This eviction led to the demolition of their homes on Tuesday, March 12, 2025, which was personally overseen by Wike.
According to sources, the compensation offered was considered derogatory and lacked a suitable relocation plan. Instead of a promised “befitting resettlement,” residents were shown a swampy area, which they refused to accept.
“No reasonable person would trade their home for N70,000 or N150,000. That amount is insufficient even for renting a decent apartment in Abuja,” one resident remarked.
Another individual from the community stated, “They claimed to have engaged us for two months, but they ignored our needs. We turned down their offer as it was unjust, and now we find ourselves homeless.”
In defense of the demolitions, Wike remarked that the displaced residents were obstructing the construction of Arterial Road N16. “No government will stand by and allow individuals to disrupt a public-interest project,” he told reporters.
He explained that although he visited the community four times and issued a week’s notice after what he described as a two-month engagement, the residents refused to vacate, which compelled the FCTA to take action.
However, the evicted families contended that three months were insufficient for uprooting households that had resided there for generations. “Where does the government expect us to go?” another affected resident questioned.
During the demolition, some residents attempted to resist the destruction of their homes, but security forces accompanying Wike dispersed them with tear gas. Wike, visibly upset, confronted the community chief, asserting, “We gave you time.”
While Wike maintained that the government had fulfilled its obligations by offering compensation and a relocation plan, residents argued that their concerns were overlooked.
Many of the displaced expressed disappointment, emphasizing that Wike, hailing from the Niger Delta—an area historically tied to land struggles and displacements—should empathize with their situation. They accused him of prioritizing the speed of construction over justice for the community.
