No plan to demolish 6,000 houses in Abuja, says Wike’s aide

Anthony Ogunleye, director of press at the office of the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says  Nyesom Wike, his principal, has no plan to demolish 6,000 houses in Abuja. 

In a statement on Wednesday, Ogunleye said aside from Wike’s comment on getting rid of illegal structures, any news purporting massive demolition in the nation’s capital is “entirely false and without any basis in reality”.

Ogunleye said the minister did not, in any of his public comments, list areas where illegal houses would be demolished.

“We are compelled to address recent news articles in the media that claimed that the new FCT Minister, Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, is embarking on a demolition spree targeting 6,000 houses across 30 settlements in Abuja as well as the Wadata Plaza,” he said.

“The Honourable Minister has consistently demonstrated a commitment to responsible urban development and the welfare of the people even while he was the governor of Rivers State, a commitment he has assured residents within the FCT since he assumed office as Minister.

“The claim that he is orchestrating large-scale demolitions is not only inaccurate but also lacks credibility.”

Ogunleye also clarified that news reports about Wike procuring a bulletproof car worth N300 million were false.

While not stating the cost, he said Wike’s official car is a regular SUV without bulletproof as claimed in some news reports.

“On the other hand, the story on the 300M bulletproof car was credited to an online auto blog with the caption: “This ₦300M Armored Lexus LX 600 fitted with ‘FCT – 01’ reportedly belongs to FCT Minister,” he said.

“In a swift reaction, the Minister, who spoke today, 23rd August, 2023 during his first project tour at the Abuja Metro station stressed that the vehicle was not bulletproof as claimed but a regular SUV.

“We encourage journalists, bloggers and media outlets to exercise responsible journalism by verifying information from authorised sources before disseminating it to the public.

“Fabricated stories, such as the ones in question, only serve to damage the reputation of respected public figures and create unnecessary anxiety amongst the citizenry.”