Abuja Residents Seek Help Over Demolition Threats, Accuse FCDA and Police of Complicity
By Emmanuel Elebeke
Residents of the Committee on Resettlement and Development Layout (CRD) in Lugbe, along Airport Road in Abuja, are appealing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barr. Nyeson Wike, to intervene against Paul Odili, the developer of River Park Estate, who they claim is illegally demolishing their homes and forcibly seizing their land.
At a recent press conference, the residents detailed their ongoing struggles, reporting daily harassment and attacks by Mr. Odili. They assert that the land in question was allocated to them in 1996 under the administration of late Gen. Sani Abacha, whereas Mr. Odili’s claim dates back to 2007, 11 years later.
The residents pointed out that Mr. Odili has disregarded multiple legal orders, including those from a high court and an appeal court, both of which dismissed his claims. Additionally, they accuse him of defying an order from the National Assembly Committee on land and ignoring an investigation initiated by an Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of land matters. Despite these interventions, Mr. Odili continues with demolitions using paid thugs and security personnel, who allegedly intimidate and assault the residents.
Efforts to involve the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and the Police have been unsuccessful, leading residents to suspect collusion with the developer. They are now urging President Tinubu and Minister Wike to leverage their authority to protect their homes and lives from Mr. Odili’s actions.
CRD, established in 1996, has been a peaceful residential area until these recent events. Abduwasi Mustapha, the CRD Community President, shared his experiences, noting that the community has lived without significant incidents for over 15 years. He expressed his frustration with the ongoing harassment by Mr. Odili, who, under the pretense of reclaiming land allegedly allocated to him by the Federal Government, has caused distress among the residents.
“We have approached numerous authorities, including the FCDA, to address the illegal actions of the River Park developer, but to no avail,” said Mustapha. “Our community has always been peaceful, and we have not experienced such criminal activities before. It is incomprehensible how one individual can flout the law so blatantly, demolishing our legal homes and attacking us.”
The CRD residents are united in their call for immediate intervention to stop the illegal demolitions and restore peace to their community.
