Residents Of Demolished Abuja Estate Challenge Wike, Warn Of Legal Repercussions In Land Sale Dispute

Residents of a demolished estate in Abuja’s Sabon-Lugbe district have voiced concerns over alleged plans by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) authorities to sell the cleared land for ₦30 billion.

The victims claim that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike is behind the move and are cautioning Nigerians against purchasing the property, which is currently subject to ongoing litigation in the FCT High Court.

Representing the victims, their attorney, Kalu Agu Kalu, revealed these allegations in a discussion with judiciary correspondents in Abuja.

He emphasized that the land was legally allocated to his clients, who had met all necessary legal and financial requirements, and presented documents to substantiate these claims.

Kalu warned that any individual or organization attempting to buy the land would face legal risks.

The victims, whose collective investments in the demolished structures were estimated at over ₦200 billion, allege that the property is being marketed for sale through a private company with foreign directors.

They plan to hold peaceful protests in designated areas around Abuja to draw attention to their plight and have directed Kalu to notify the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to ensure the protests remain orderly.

“As we have said earlier, the land is genuinely allocated to us and we have all the necessary title documents released to us upon payment of statutory fees.

“Besides, we filed a suit at the High Court of the FCT and against the FCT minister and two others and served processes of the suit on parties, yet the demolition was done despite the pendency of the case.

“Information at our disposal is that the authorities of the FCT have put the land for sale, we are hereby issuing a warning that no Nigerian should buy the land or any portion of it as doing so would be tantamount to wasting resources.

“We hereby challenge the media to investigate our claims to the ownership of the land and come out with an independent report,” Kalu stated.

He added that despite filing a lawsuit against the FCT Minister and two other parties, the demolition proceeded while the case was still pending in court.

He reiterated an appeal to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to restrain the FCT Minister to preserve the social and economic interests of Abuja residents.

Kalu expressed confidence that his clients would find justice through the judiciary and assured that they would follow legal channels to resolve the matter.