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Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has stated the National Assembly cannot outrightly prevent the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, from demolishing structures in the nation’s capital.
Naija News reports that Wike has been under criticism over the widespread demolition of houses in Abuja after a construction company, Paullosa Nigeria Limited, raised the alarm regarding a demolition notice issued by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) 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 the FCDA had demanded N10 million, for a Right of Occupancy, which it had paid but was yet to get receipt before the issuance of the quit notice.
Similarly, social media critic, Vincent Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, in a video shared online, alleged that Wike had revoked the land titles to the Estate, and issued the same to a Saravera Nigeria Limited, and a member of the House of Representatives representing Obio/Akpor Constituency, Kingsley Chinda.
VeryDarkMan called on security agencies to intervene, noting that the land’s original owner was the first cadet of the Nigerian Army who passed on four years ago.
On Thursday, the Senator representing FCT, Ireti Kingibe, brought the matter before the plenary, arguing that the demolitions were causing untold hardship to victims.
She pleaded with the Senate to intervene and halt further demolition of structures, including estates already marked.
Seconding the motion, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, said the demolition exercise should be stopped pending the outcome of the Senate investigation into the matter.
However, Akpabio stated that all demolitions could not be stopped because the courts ordered some.
He directed the minister to continue with the demolition of structures ordered by the courts in order not to be guilty of disobeying court orders.
