‘Wike’s intervention on integrating FCT indigenes within their ancestral homes will be golden’

The Secretary of Kpaduma community and the Madaki of Kpaduma community 2 Abuja, Simon Baba Yerima has said the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bar. Nyesom Wike’s intervention on integrating FCT indigenes within their ancestral homes would be on a golden record. Yerima in an interview with newsmen in Abuja while giving a […]

The Secretary of Kpaduma community and the Madaki of Kpaduma community 2 Abuja, Simon Baba Yerima has said the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bar. Nyesom Wike’s intervention on integrating FCT indigenes within their ancestral homes would be on a golden record.

Yerima in an interview with newsmen in Abuja while giving a follow up of the Minister’s pledge to address the demographic concerns of affected Indigeneous Communities in which are: Kpaduma I, II, III, Guzape, Apyekni, Jabi-Daki biyu, Zhilu, Maje, among others.

He said the intervention would be a golden record in the history of Nigeria because pledge which brought glimmer of hope to people which Abuja indigenes have been clamoring for many years.

According to him, these villages are passionately seeking for common justice and fair hearing on their collective demand on the entire subject.

He echoed the deep concerns of his people, the ancestral settlers of Abuja, who had long felt marginalized in the face of rapid urbanization.

He said the community had identified specific areas within Kpaduma and its neighboring settlements that were suitable for resettlement.

According to him, they have identified a vacant land available within the indigenous domains and ensure that these areas were properly developed for the resettlement of the people.

He said once the assessment was complete and the reports submitted, they trusted that the minister, known for his integrity and compassion, would keep his promise.

He explained that under the minister’s direction, the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) set up a committee, in which he played an active role, to assess the demographic needs of these ancestral communities.

He said the community would not accept relocation far from their ancestral homes. “We do not want to be taken to another chiefdom. This is non-negotiable,” he asserted.

He said the process was not without its challenges adding that the community faced threats from urban expansion, with ongoing construction projects like roads, hospitals, and other public utilities encroaching on their lands.

Yerima stressed that those who would be affected by such developments should be properly resettled within the identified areas. Moreover, the community was adamant that those who were not directly impacted should be integrated into the urban system with modern houses that matched the city’s standards.

On the issue the issue of insecurity , he said the growing problem of crime had disrupted the peace in the community, and the minister had ordered the cutting down of trees that were used to conceal criminal activities.

“The people of Kwaduma responded quickly, clearing the areas to dislodge the miscreants who had been using the trees as hideouts.

“The minister was pleased with the swift action, and though insecurity remained a nationwide issue, the local government had been proactive in enhancing the vigilantes and working with law enforcement to secure the area,” he said .

Despite the progress, Yerima’s thoughts turned to the future, specifically the upcoming 2027 area council elections. As a political scientist, he understood the importance of unity and strategic planning in the democratic process.

“Our community cannot be left behind,” he urged, stressing the need for indigenous people to participate actively in the political landscape.

He called on political aspirants to unite for the common cause of advancing the welfare of the people, without falling victim to internal divisions or the influence of powerful godfathers.

“We must come together as a united force to achieve our goals,” Yerima declared.

He emphasized that the voice of the people mattered more than personal ambition. In his vision for the future, Kpaduma’s voice would be heard in the corridors of power, and its people would no longer be left as bystanders in the development of the land they had fought to preserve for generations.

Yerima called for a fairer political system, one that truly represented the interests of all citizens.

He urged the government to create opportunities for youth participation in politics and governance, ensuring that the next generation could contribute to the nation’s growth.

The current political leaders, he argued, should make room for fresh voices, ensuring that the power dynamics of the past did not stifle progress.