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Over 200 families have been left homeless in Nuwalege, a rural community along the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road in Abuja, following the demolition of their homes by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) at the behest of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
The demolition, intended to make way for an extension of the Presidential Air Fleet, has sparked widespread outrage among the displaced residents, who are now calling for government compensation.
The demolition, which took place in January 2024, destroyed more than 200 houses in the once-thriving community. Despite assurances from government officials that only certain sections of the community would be affected, residents allege that the demolition was carried out without prior notice, and none of the displaced families have received any form of compensation.
Residents recount ordeals
One of the affected residents, Wisdom James, recounted the harrowing experience of losing her home.
"I live in Zamani now, but I'm from Nuwalege. They demolished our house in January. There was no information prior to the demolition. The place they marked for demolition is not the place they demolished. They didn't tell us when they would be coming," she said, according to Punch.
James further revealed that residents were misled into believing that the demolition had been postponed for another two years, only for bulldozers to arrive unexpectedly and start clearing their homes. The lack of legal recourse further compounds the community's frustration.
According to James, residents pooled resources to pursue legal action, contributing between ₦2,500 and ₦10,000 each.
However, the legal efforts have so far yielded no results, with the funds raised disappearing without explanation.
"We were meeting in Sauka. After meeting about six times, there was nothing like that again. The money we gathered, we don't know where they took it to, and we weren't paid back," James lamented.
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Another indigene, Obadiah Tanko, emphasised the deep historical ties the community has to the land now claimed by NAF.
"I've been living in Nuwalege for 15 years, though I am an indigene. When they first came, they used beacons to mark some places. That was years ago. Some of our grandfathers were buried where the base is now," he said.
Tanko also highlighted the earlier demolition in 2007, which only targeted part of the community but has now expanded to engulf the entire area.
The demolition has had a devastating impact on the lives of the displaced residents, many of whom are now scattered across various communities such as Zamani, Sauka, Giri, and Gwagwalada.
Demolition separates mother of 5 from family
Folashade Olatunde, a mother of five, described the painful separation of her family due to the forced eviction.
"We left the community on January 15, 2024. They didn't pay us any compensation, nothing at all. My family and I are separated, and I had to take some of our property back home.
"I stay here with my husband and my two youngest children. My oldest son and the one immediately after him sleep in a nearby church while my daughter is in Ekiti with my family," she recounted.
Despite the severe disruption to their lives, the residents have yet to receive any meaningful response from the government.
Meet Wike for complaint - NAF tells displaced families
NAF spokesperson AVM Edward Gabkwet directed the displaced families to address their grievances with the Ministry of Defence or the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), stating, "NAF does not compensate for lands allocated to it by the Federal Government."
The lack of compensation has left many in dire straits. Elizabeth Olushola, another victim of the demolition, revealed that she had not been compensated for the loss of her home and a block of four classrooms she had built.
"They didn't give us any money, nobody even approached us. The government should compensate us because I see this as suffering," she said.
Presidency reacts
The Presidency, through Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, distanced itself from the issue, referring inquiries to the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
However, neither official has provided any clarity on the compensation issue, leaving the displaced residents in limbo.
The situation in Nuwalege highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Indigenous communities in Nigeria, where development projects often come at the expense of vulnerable populations.
As the government pushes forward with its plans to expand the Presidential Air Fleet, the displaced families of Nuwalege continue to wait for justice and the compensation they desperately need to rebuild their lives.