Demolition: Galadimawa residents dare FCTA

Officials of the department who had stormed the village with three bulldozers accompanied by armed soldiers in six Toyota Hilux vehicles had to retreat when the angry residents insisted that their houses would not be demolished.The removal exercise was planned by the Development Control to curtail unwanted expansion of the sprawling village which has already […]

Officials of the department who had stormed the village with three bulldozers accompanied by armed soldiers in six Toyota Hilux vehicles had to retreat when the angry residents insisted that their houses would not be demolished.
The removal exercise was planned by the Development Control to curtail unwanted expansion of the sprawling village which has already been allocated by the FCT administration for mass housing.
Development Control’s Deputy Director in charge of Monitoring and Enforcement, Nathaniel Atebije insisted that officials left the village because the traditional head of the village and the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) chairman, Micah Y. Jiba pleaded for another three days for the villagers to evacuate their wares.
He said there were enough security men to provide cover for his men while at work noting that the department had to operate with human face by yielding to the village head’s request.
Daily Trust gathered that residents, who came out in hundreds insisted that the FCT administration would not unleash hardship on them, standing face to face with the gun wielding soldiers.
The local chief commonly called Makama Galadiwawa, Saliu Yakubu recalled that a developer who he could only identify as Jerry came to the area last year, claiming to have been allotted some land.
He said upon enquiry, it was found that the whole community land had been allotted the developer.
“And we said with this one, government is yet to compensate us or relocate us to anywhere, where’re we going to?  
“We said it can’t work. Go back to the FCT minister and ask him to give you another allocation.
“By the time government is ready to compensate us, we’ll go and get your land. That was the decision that day,” the chief explained.
He faulted the resettlement process saying, “The resettlement given the indigenes is not ideal. We’re not saying we’re not leaving, even what they built for Garki people, I can build it myself. If they’re compensating me, let my life change for the better.”
Shortly after the demolition team left, the palace of the chief of Galadimawa was pulled down by angry residents who thought he had compromised with government in their struggle to protect their houses from the bulldozers.
A resident, Hamisu Khaleed said the residents in anger marched to the residence of the traditional ruler and pulled down his abode because they suspected him of playing double standards on issues affecting their welfare.
When Daily Trust visited, AMAC chairman Jiba was seen inspecting the remains of the palace. Thereafter, he went into a closed door meeting with some stakeholders.
When pressmen sought to interview him, his aide prevented them, saying, “We don’t need any interview.”