Sen. Karimi opposed the motion, arguing that the minister should not be restrained from performing his statutory duties without first being heard.
The senate has directed the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to immediately suspend all ongoing demolitions of buildings and structures in the Abuja, except those sanctioned by a court order.
This resolution followed the senate’s decision to establish an ad-hoc committee tasked with summoning the minister to provide explanations for the demolition activities, which have reportedly displaced numerous residents and destroyed properties worth billions of naira. The committee is expected to present its findings to the senate within a week.
The motion was moved by Sen. Ireti Kingibe (LP, FCT) who raised concerns about the legality and impact of the demolitions. She argued that the demolitions were being carried out without due process, causing significant hardship to affected individuals.
She said: “The demolition in FCT is no longer in line with due process and a cross section of individuals have suffered untold hardship occasioned by massive demolitions which has led to a loss of properties worth billions of naira.
“The Federal Capital Administration, on the instruction of the Honorable Minister of Federal Capital Territory, embarked on massive demolition of structures within the Federal Capital Territory.
“The demolition, according to the FCT authority, was informed by illegal structures and non-development of allocated plots of land by the FCT administration.
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“In recent time, the demolition exercise in the FCT is no longer based on reasons adduced by the FCT administration that necessitated the demolition. Further concerned that the current demolition in the FCT is not in line with due process of court orders to demolish.
“At the moment, an estate by name Merss Paulosa, for which late Colonel Paul Osang Kwanwa of Bebo, is the chairman, is currently under revocation and demolition. And from reliable information, the said plot of land was allocated to him in 1984 with the requisite title document.
“The owner of this estate was a patriotic Nigerian who served the nation meritoriously and one of the first intakes of the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna, with registration number 001.”
However, Senator Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi west) opposed the motion, arguing that the minister should not be restrained from performing his statutory duties without first being heard.
He said, “There is need to investigate this matter before giving any directive. We have to hear from the minister first. We have to hear from the minister before we say stop. We can’t shave a man’s head behind his back.”
In his remarks, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, urged lawmakers to act patriotically and prioritise preventing irreversible harm. Akpabio expressed concern that the government may face court action by those who were aggrieved by the demolitions. He subsequently ruled that the ongoing demolition should be halted.
An ad-hoc committee is to be chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin while Senators Sahabi Yau, Victor Umeh, Jimoh Ibrahim, Oyelola Ashiru, Jarigbe Jarigbe, Abdullahi Yahaya and Tahir Monguno will be members of the committee.
