Residents of FCT community seek Wike’s intervention over ‘harassment, land grabbing’ by developer

Residents and property owners in the committee on resettlement and development (CRD) layout in Lugbe, federal capital territory (FCT), have sought the intervention of Nyesom Wike, the minister, over alleged intimidation and harassment by a developer.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Raphael Igu, a resident of the community, alleged that Paul Odili, an estate developer, has continued to harass and threaten them with demolition notices.

Igu, the judge of the customary court grade A in the Gwagwalada area council of Abuja, said the residents have been living in peace in the community since the creation of the layout in 1996.

He said the peaceful atmosphere was disrupted in 2007 when Odili claimed that the federal government had allocated 474 hectares of the community’s land to him.

“And since that time, we have not had any peace, no rest of mind. He comes here with thugs and criminals to harass us,” he said.

Igu said in 2011, some residents took Odili to court and got a favourable judgment against the developer.

“All his arguments that we are illegal occupants were trashed by the court. He went to the court of appeal and the court of appeal dismissed this case,” he said.

“Despite the judgements, he was still harassing us. He has also gone to the supreme court.

“Last week, he mobilised thugs and criminals and invaded our community. He started demolishing our houses and fences despite the fact that the matter is before the court of law.

“He has taken possession of almost one quarter of our place of residence by forceful means.”

Another resident, Ifeoma Amos, said the roofing, fence, and gate of her property had been removed by the agents of the developer.

“They removed everything and covered it with a lot of sand. You would not know that there was something being built there before. The men said it was Paul that asked them to demolish our buildings,“ Amos said.

On his part, Mustapha Wasiu, chairman of the CRD residents association, said several efforts to resolve the matter amicably have failed.

“We have reported this to Lugbe police station. At the initial stage, when we noticed the movement of these hoodlums, we reported it, and our statements were taken,” Wasiu said.

“When it got to the stage where they started invading the community, we also wrote an official save our soul letter to the police station.

“This is the city capital of Nigeria, where we have the inspector-general of police, the defense minister, the chief of army staff, the chief of naval staff, and the NSA, and an individual is taking law into his own hands by bringing thugs to harass a peace-loving community.

“So many houses have been demolished. We’re talking over N150 million to N200 million of destruction he has already made.”

The chairman of the CRD called on President Bola Tinubu and the FCT minister to intervene in the matter.