Residents of Ruga, a settlement along Airport Road in Abuja, took to the streets to protest the demolition of their homes by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
The demolition was carried out by “Operation Sweep,” a task force ordered by Wike to clear the city.
Renowned lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju, along with Vincent Martins Otse, led the demonstration, condemning the demolition as malicious.
Adeyanju expressed concern that the task force burned many houses, destroying property worth millions of naira. He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to consider the plight of poor people displaced from their homes in Borno and other northern states due to insecurity.
“There is no justification for this demolition,” Adeyanju said. “We are using this medium to appeal to the president to consider the plight of the displaced residents, who are barely surviving. Most of the residents here were forced out of their homes in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe due to insecurity. Most of them are artisans trying to make a living. These demolitions are excessive, and Mr President needs to act to prevent further harassment of the people.”
Adeyanju emphasized that peace is only achievable if the poor are allowed to live peacefully.
“Tinubu should call Wike to order and stop him from demolishing people’s homes and reallocating the land to rich people. There is no justification for demolishing these homes and allocating them to the rich. There is no overriding public interest here because the community is far from the main road.”
Otse also spoke out, saying, “This is strange. The repercussions of this will have a heavy toll on Abuja. This area that has been demolished is not near the main road. These people have been rendered homeless amid the ongoing hardship in the country. They are evicting these people without compensating them. It is sad that the elite think the poor are not part of society.”
